Evening
by Skye Valkyrie
Summary: She can either embrace greatness, or embrace insanity. [SilMil AU]
1. Oath

_**Chapter One: Oath**_

My father once told me that my destiny ended in a fork: either I'd embrace insanity, or I'd embrace greatness. I had cried for hours then, and no amount of pampering or appealing stories of the greats could make me stop. The prospect of going crazy terrified me more than the anticipation of strength. A child's stamina was my fall, and when I had woken up the next day, my father took me out on my first hunt.

It seems unusual, thinking back on it, that a man would take his eight-year-old daughter, his only child from a wife lost in childbirth, hunting in the Rose Forest. But now, as I sit on the porch of the little wooden hut we live in, mending a tear in a fishing net, my mind wanders and I think I'm beginning to understand. I had hurt my ankle yesterday while attempting to retrieve this wayward net from a stream and I had slipped on a rather mossy rock. Now, I am confined to the hut while my father hunts, and the boredom is driving me to madness!

I can never stay still, even as a toddler. If my father wouldn't give me his metal spoon to play with—either I'd dig at the ground or carve against wood—I would do absolutely nothing. It should sound nice; what else could I do at that age? Except that I apparently have a one-tracked mind. Or so my father says. I can place all my focus on that one specific task, or nothing at all. I think he believes that the former will make me great, and the latter will lead to my insanity.

And I'm very much inclined to agree with him now. Mending nets is nothing; I can do that in my sleep. Hunting, though… Hunting is a game, a challenge. It is dangerous and rewarding, exciting and calculating. My mind doesn't drift when hunting; I cannot afford to. My father gives me goals every time before a hunt: a two dozen fish one day, five rabbits the next, and if I'm at my best and the day is good, maybe a deer. I love these challenges, I love having goals.

And I'm good at it. Not just for an eleven-year-old; I can bring in game as well as some veteran hunters. I'm excellent with a knife. My throws almost always hit their target. Funnily though, I cannot shoot an arrow from a bow or launch a spear as well. The bow is unfortunate, but my father makes up for that. Together, we can bring in enough game in a day to feed us for a week. Add trading to our routine and we live more than comfortably for outskirt villagers. It is a very desirable situation come nightfall.

I finally finish the net and quickly toss it to the side in my haste to find something else to do. I rub my thumb along the tang of my knife idly—having removed its wooden grip a long time ago, though I don't remember what compelled me to do so—as I walked around the hut. We don't keep animals, not for breeding, milking, meat or company. Our closest neighbour is nearly half an hour's walk away. I have absolutely no inclination to be studying after the session with the fishing net.

I eye the rows of rose bushes that grew around near the back of my father's property, like fences marking the borders of the forest, which is how it got its name. I'm itching to venture into the darkness, maybe just a few yards in where I can probably find a couple of squirrels. Then the darkness breaks and my father comes out carrying one of the rarest find in the forest: a wild boar. It's a full day's travel to the area of the forest where boars roam. I am both impressed and sceptical.

"Venus, come give me a hand," he shouts as he drops the carcass. He wouldn't let me hunt because I cannot run properly and now he expects me to lug a hundred and fifty pound meat back?

Good, a challenge.

He has already divided up the rest of his game for trade and our use by the time I bring the dead boar to the cart.

"How in Ushas did you find a boar so quick?" I ask, out of breath, as he lifts the boar onto the cart. My father isn't a particularly large man, not too tall, not too muscular. But he's agile and fast, and it's what makes him a good and a safe hunter.

"I didn't," he replies, grunting as the boar threatens to slide off the ramp. "He found me. Nearly gored my guts out too." He shows me the tear on his shirt. "And on returning, I spotted another. They're leaving their territories for some reason. Maybe we'll find out why at the market."

He takes the front, pulling on the handle as I push from behind. The market is one hour away. One day, I am going start bringing in larger games that my father has no choice but to invest in a horse.

It is at the market that we discover the reason for the invasion of boars. Logging activities by the King's men at the other end of the forest had gone so far that they were driving the green panthers from their usual habitats to our side. It's creating a huge stir among the villagers because not only are the hunters in danger of encountering one, what is to stop the panthers from entering the village?

* * *

Two weeks pass and the panther epidemic has not been solved. I am forced to entertain the notion of insanity because my father refuses to let me hunt even though my ankle has healed for more than a week now. Today, I wait outside, sharpening my blade on a waterstone. For some reason, something is telling me to do it.

It has been happening for a few months now. Receiving instincts that are usually right. Usually, I welcome them. Squirrel up in the tree on your left. Deer behind that bush. Watch out for the snakes. A very useful thing to have when you hunt for a living. Except that I'm not hunting. And my instincts are telling me to get the biggest knife I can carry.

No sooner am I satisfied with my blade that my father comes crashing through the rose shrubs, yelling for me to get into the house. I am too stunned to comply immediately, and when he is halfway toward me, I finally see the source of his terror: a green panther.

Whoever gave the cat the name green panther had to have the weirdest sense of priorities ever, because a green panther is actually white. From head to tail, with unspotted or unstripped coats; the only green thing about the cat is its eyes. Bright, piercing greens like gems. I'm transfixed on them now, and I'm beginning to understand the reason for the cat's namesake.

"Venus, for Ushas' sake, run!"

I tear my eyes from the cat's to my father. He had lost his weapons and his shirt is torn and bloody. There is a nasty gash running down his neck and he looks ready to collapse.

"Papa!" I run toward him. I don't know why, I wouldn't normally call myself a stupid child. In fact, I'm often praised for my maturity, if not my skills. Half my father's height, what am I expecting to accomplish against a cat nearly twice his?

My father stumbles, maybe over loose soil, maybe from blood loss. I'm hoping it's the loose soil. The green panther roars as if it feels certain that it has its prey now. I heft my blade and throw it straight into the cat's forehead, right between the eyes. It connects solidly, and despite the victory, I wonder where did I get the strength to do that?

"Venus!" My father gasps from the ground. I start to run to him. "Run!"

What? Why? I don't understand. I've killed the predator, why do we still need to hide? My instincts are screaming now. Right! Right!

I turn to my right just in time to see a second green panther pounce from behind our water tank. Its front claws dig into my shoulders and I scream. My father screams. The panther growls as it lowers its jaws for the kill. I push against its snout, for all the good my little arms can do. Blood pours from my palms as the fangs bite into my flesh.

My death is inevitable and the new warmth on my forehead is just indication of that. But suddenly, I just know that the warmth is not due to the panther's hot breath on my face. My instincts grow deeper; they become knowledge. In my hands, a golden light glows, searing. Just as the panther clamps down them, the light shoots out, down its throat and out the back of its skull. I watch in dim-witted fascination as gold mixed with red.

Then the cat falls on me, and I can see the tips of my fingers protruding from the hole in its head. It's a little funny and I smile. Vaguely, I know that my injuries are fatal. Already, I am dizzy from the blood loss. Doing absolutely nothing feels like a very good idea now. I turn my head to my father. He is squirming on the ground, trying to crawl toward me.

I want to tell him not to bother, that it's all right. We can both be with Mama now.

I'm not sure if I managed to when the darkness claims me.

* * *

It's so ironic. Here I am, in the King's banquet room with a seat fairly close to the royal family, and there are exactly two contrasting reasons for it. One, I nearly died because of the King's irresponsible logging activities. Two, the King had sent his best healers to treat my wounds once he had gotten word that I had survived the green panthers' attack. So, here I am, picking at extravagant dinner courses, sandwiched between people I don't know and don't care to know, when I could have been having a simple fish stew with my father.

I blink, swallowing down a sob. I had survived; my father didn't. We were supposed to meet Mama together, I think sourly.

For the rest of dinner, I keep my eyes on my plate, never once looking up to the reason behind this King's banquet. Unlike a lot of people, it's not because I don't think I'm deserving of the woman's grace. Sure, she is legendary and many have inscribed deity status to her. Indeed, she is well-known for her powers which she uses mostly for healing, but has been known to destroy demons with it. Goddess queen of the Silver Millennium, a shining land that orbits Ushas' younger twin.

I look down because I don't want Queen Serenity to see the unfair hostility in my eyes at the knowledge she is here to take me away.

She killed a green panther bare-handed, with magic; Ushas' children cannot use magic as easily as Earth's people, so she must be a rare magician or a Senshi, they say. She survived in a pool of blood that no one should be able to; so she is more likely a Senshi, they say. Her injuries vanished in a matter of days, so she must be a Senshi, they say.

Senshi are the warriors of soldiers, the sorcerers of magicians. They are the immortals of the mortals, the goddesses of the weak. They are a myth until one shows up on your doorstep. Then you lavish her with gifts and praises and comfort to gain her favour. For if you anger a Senshi, you doom yourself.

I scoff quietly. The stories make it sound as if Senshi are tyrants. I wonder. No Senshi has been called to Ushas in centuries. If I am one, I will be the first any currently living child of Ushas has ever seen. For all they rightly know, I may just be the rare magician. It's certainly happened more often than having a child of Ushas becoming a Senshi.

But in all matters of Senshi, Queen Serenity is the person to call. So here she is, to verify the claims of my Senshi heritage. Frustratingly, nothing of the sort is being discussed between her and the royal couple. As the King stuffs himself with chicken and lamb, Queen Serenity talks politely in that enchanting, bell-like voice she has, her plate barely touched. The banquet is more for the King's pride than her reception; the Moon-dwellers of the Silver Millennium hardly need to eat, like Thoths.

After dinner, we proceed to the ballroom. I stay in one corner, near the King as I had been told—technically requested—to do. I don't mind. I am a simple villager. We don't dance. We also don't wear frilly dresses that look ridiculous and heeled sandals that hurt our feet. Of course, the King just has to grant me an Honorary Princess status for the bragging rights to his era of reign. So I'm forced to dance in frilly dresses and heeled sandals, with boys my age, with boys a little older seeking favour, with lecherous old men boasting of their nobility and how they can make me happy when I come of marrying age. I entertain them with the same fake smile and the occasional stomps on their toes.

Finally, I am summoned to the King. Queen Serenity smiles serenely down at me. She is a very tall woman. Stories about her have certainly not done her any justice. The woman _is_ power and regality and peace and beauty. She puts all other kings and queens to shame even if one does not know who she is.

"Lady Venus," the King greets—I still laugh inwardly at that, but at least I get a castle in my name—and gestures to her. "This is Queen Serenity of the Silver Millennium."

I bow; the King's servants had tried to teach me how to curtsy, but I'm always toppling over. She doesn't make any comment, but I can see her eyes glinting in amusement. Maybe it won't be so bad to go with her after all.

"It is nice to meet you, my Queen," I said. The King's wife tries to hide a frown; technically, she is my queen, not Queen Serenity.

"The pleasure is all mine, Venus," Queen Serenity replies. Ah, she understands! I'm liking her more already. "My, you are a young one, aren't you?"

In her eyes, I am just a seven-year-old. The common year runs longer than Ushas' year, though I am biologically and mentally as mature as a common year eleven-year-old; only my physical appearance matches that of the common year seven-year-old. Such comparison is the same for all children of Ushas.

Queen Serenity kneels down in front of me, and I freeze. I think the whole room freezes too. For someone such as her to lower herself in front of a person of my status—Honorary Princess aside—it is almost unheard of. She smooths my long, golden hair and the collar of my dress. I wonder if this is how a mother feels like.

"There's a girl who lives under my care from Thoth," she says as she runs her thumbs across my palm. "She's only a few years older than you, but she's experienced what you have, dear Venus. I think you two will get along very well."

I can't help but think that too.

* * *

I wait next to Queen Serenity's guard as she bids the King farewell. She has only come with one guard, unlike how the King likes to travel, except that this one guard is equivalent to the whole of the King's army. I steal a glance at the Senshi, a woman just as tall as Queen Serenity with short platinum blond hair and a serious face. Her uniform is very similar to the Romanus soldiers of the west: dark blue skirt instead of brown leather, white bodice instead of bronze armour. It doesn't look very fortified but I suspect weaker blades will crumble at contact with her body.

The King finally lets Queen Serenity go and she waves to the crowd that has gathered in the court gardens. For a moment, I consider the thought that I may actually miss this place. While lavish and prideful, the King is usually fair in the important matters like justice. I have seen many murderers and rapists hang even when they are nobility; soldiers patrol the villages frequently and bandits seldom venture in. Then again, as I gaze around the courtyard and the outside of the castle's main building, I feel rather disgusted. Hundreds of sculptures, both stone and plant, decorate the unnecessarily large courtyard; the castle is a kaleidoscope of bright colours over good-quality stone; huge furnaces under the castle's foundation powered by precious logs run non-stop during nightfall while the villagers freeze. I am only a child who has just lost her father and the King deems it his royal right to flaunt his—potentially—Senshi citizen as he wishes.

The Senshi takes my hand. I must be holding her hand very tightly because she reaches over and gives me a reassuring pat on the head. When Queen Serenity takes my other hand, I almost pull away.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"Will I be able to come back?" I have no real devotion to the King, nor any fondness for home. I have no living family and friendships are a little difficult to maintain when everything they do bore me. But she understands.

"Anytime you want," she says, holding my hands to her chest in a gesture of promise, "I will take you to see your father."

* * *

Travelling by magic is a very, very strange sensation. One moment, I am looking back at the misdirected pride on the King's face; the next, I am looking at the walls of a vast white room. Everything glows here, from the stone walls to the crystalline sculptures to the silver and gold tapestries, even to the lone girl rocking a cradle at the far end of the room.

"Thank you, Uranus," Queen Serenity says to the Senshi. She nods, and after giving me a clap on my shoulder, she leaves via magic again.

I sway, feeling a little dizzy from that clap, as if our contact has just drained a bit of my energy.

Queen Serenity shakes her head, a smile on her lips. "You have to forgive her," she says. "Uranus believes in learning by doing. You have just been taught that magic between Senshi can be combined or transferred for a purpose not normally available to just one Senshi. Like for teleporting."

The feeling is a rush and a concern at the same time. Like hunting.

"Come, I want to introduce you to someone."

I follow her to the glowing girl at the cradle. By the common year, she looks to be around twelve or thirteen and is at least a head and a half taller. I marvel at her blue hair; it is not a colour you see on Ushas. Then again, so is Queen Serenity's silver. When we are face-to-face, I see that the girl isn't really glowing as I had thought. But her skin is indeed reflecting the light of the room in a way no child of Ushas can do. If I squint, I can just see a bluish hue that is the base of her own shine. I look to Queen Serenity; she gleams too, but has no colour.

"Venus, this is Mercury." The girl inclines her head in acknowledgement. "Like you, she is a young Senshi."

The girl from Thoth. I don't know what to say.

She takes the helm of our introduction. "Hello, Venus. I have heard about your father. My deepest condolences."

I swallow and nod. "Thank you. The same for you."

Mercury smiles.

A small garbled sound breaks the silence and we turn to the cradle. The baby inside stares at us, eyes widened as if demanding she not be forgotten. Queen Serenity takes her hand and fondly kisses each of her little fingers. Mercury hangs back to let me look at the baby.

"This is my daughter," Queen Serenity says between coos to the baby. "Serenity, say hello to Venus."

The baby meets my eyes, and with the most adorable squeals of laughter possible, she reaches her hands up to me. As I carry her under Queen Serenity's supervision, I am hit with the feeling that I have just fallen in love. In my heart, I make an oath to be the strongest Senshi fit to protect this beautiful child.

* * *

_**A/N:** So, I told myself that I would never work on two stories at the same time. But this came up while trying to come up with a consistent backstory for my other story. And here we are! :) This is a somewhat AU take on our favourite heroines' lives in the Silver Millennium, but will be in Venus' perspective, and primarily be centred around her and how she views the well-known events going on. Hope you like it!  
_


	2. Mistakes

_**Chapter Two: Mistakes**_

For the first common half-year of my new life in the Silver Millennium, I am led to a never-ending debate as to whether Mercury likes me or not. Being the two youngest Senshi under Queen Serenity's care, I was to share a room with Mercury. I'm still not sure if she likes it. When I had entered the room with nothing but a backpack of my most precious belongings, there had been a clear division of space between hers and mine. Mercury dabbles in technology and knowledge despite her young age, and over the years as the sole ward of Queen Serenity, has amassed a rather impressive amount of devices and tomes in what is once her room. As a testament to that, her toys lined the exact middle of our room between our beds, stacked high and thick enough that crossing over wasn't easy for me with my small built.

This lasted a few hours until Queen Serenity came in to check up on me and had to remind her that her gesture wasn't as friendly as she thought it was. I wasn't sure what it meant, but Mercury immediately asked if she could use my side of the room for her toys and swept everything to the back, removing the border but taking up what was meant to be my side. By Queen Serenity's reaction, it was with reluctance that she accepted the outcome. She asked for my understanding and I gave it without really knowing what I was giving.

My first night in the Silver Millennium wasn't a very good one. The nightmares of my father's death notwithstanding, I was not used to the thinner artificial air and lighter gravity. I had woken up screaming because I had dreamt I was falling from the sky and a green panther was waiting below with its giant maw wide open.

Mercury was at her desk, reading, and she had glanced at me, curious. "What's wrong?"

"Nightmare," I said. When I didn't elaborate, Mercury didn't ask. I fell back to bed a little disappointed. My father had always pestered for more information until I had given it to him; it had felt a little empty that Mercury had left me alone.

But Mercury came over to my bed soon after and felt my clammy skin. "Are you finding it difficult to breathe?" she asked.

"Yes."

"I'll ask the engineers to adjust the atmosphere calibration tomorrow to better match Ushas'," she said. "It'll help if you transform, though."

"Transform?" I imagined the Senshi uniform and wondered if that was what she meant. It was, and she showed me her uniform, very similar to Uranus' with a lighter shade of blue.

"The Queen says you're a new soul too, so you should be able to choose how you want your uniform to look," she continued. "There does seem to be a common fashion agreed to long ago by the older Senshi, however." She gestured to the collar. "To mark our sisterhood as Senshi."

I didn't understand and so she gave me a book she'd written that documented known facts about Senshi. And then she left me to read alone.

Ten days later, nightfall came for the Silver Millennium. A common day is twenty-four hours, twelve for day, twelve for night, even if nightfall has not occurred for the inhabited land. For fairness, the common time of measurement had been decided to be based on Earth's measurement as every other world has different orbits and rotations. Earth was chosen because it is the only planet unaware of our existence and hence has no say in many interplanetary communications. We regard Earth as neutral and so we use it to fix favouritism issues. Ushas' younger twin has to have some usefulness, after all.

I usually hated nightfall because it was too long on Ushas; some nights were cold enough that people could go to bed and never wake up again. I had thought that was what had happened to Mercury when she didn't wake up the next day; Mercury was always up before me. I had crawled onto her bed and tried to rouse her. I saw that her chest didn't move and I panicked.

"Help!" I screamed, shaking her roughly. "Someone, help! Mercury—"

Mercury suddenly bolted upright. She blinked rapidly, then turned to me, confusion in her eyes. "Venus, what's wrong?" she asked. Her hands roamed over me as she checked my body for injuries. "Are you hurt? Why do you need help?"

"No," I stammered, confused and stunned myself. "You… You weren't moving."

"What?" She frowned. Understanding registered. "Oh. You forget; I'm from Thoth. I rise with the sun and sleep come nightfall. And unlike you, I don't need to breathe to live."

I blinked back tears, sniffing. It seemed too convenient for my frantic little mind even though I've always known it to be true. "Really?"

"Yes." She smiled. "It's all right, Venus. I'm all right. You don't have to worry. I'll take care of you."

Yet for weeks after that, our interaction had been limited to wake-up greetings, tutoring by Mercury who turned out to be one of the most brilliant minds that ever lived, and sparring sessions. According to Mercury's book, Senshi are naturally fighters; their powers can only attack or defend. They cannot heal, create or control what is not theirs, unlike Keepers of Heavenly Crystals, who are a level or two hundred above the power of the Sailor Crystals that Senshi hold. So, for me to grow into my Senshi role, sparring is the most effective training method.

At first, I only sparred with veteran soldiers who could pull their attacks against a small child. In my first spar, I was subdued immediately by this giant of a man who held me up in the air by my wrists. Mercury encouraged me to use my powers, and a pinprick of something was beginning to form in my fingertips before the image of what I had done to the green panther's skull stopped me. This giant had a kindly face and I couldn't bear to remove it.

"I feel silly for asking this," Gelos, the captain of the guards had asked me after, "but can you use a weapon?"

"A knife," I told him. The murmurs that had drifted through the crowd of soldiers told me they weren't comfortable at the fact I could handle a knife at such a young age. "Maybe," I added. "I've only ever used a knife when hunting, usually to throw it."

That satisfied them and I was brought to a range. Someone gave me a knife and when I couldn't pull out the grip, I asked if I could use mine.

"Just give this one a go first," Mercury said. Her eyes had taken a really solemn and calculative look that I once again thought she did not like me. It was so different from the supportive looks the others were giving me.

I threw the knife and was left ashamed when the pommel bounced harmlessly off the target. The soldiers tried to console me by saying that at least my aim was true, but I couldn't be comforted because Mercury's opinion was the one I really cared about. For all intents and purposes, she had become my mentor in my journey to be a useful Senshi.

"Here." Mercury gave me a grip-less knife, having transformed and broken it off. "Try it again."

I rested the flat of the blade against all four of my fingers on my right hand; I rubbed my thumb over the exposed side. It had become routine, this exercise. Instinctively, I knew its feel, its exact weight and dimensions, little blemishes in its make that would affect its flight path. I became one with the knife, and where I wanted it to land, it would land.

The soldiers had cheered at my success. They wanted me to throw again but Mercury intercepted. She kept bringing me fully metal weapons, and except for the heavy ones, I could always throw them with near-perfect accuracy.

"You're a magician too," she finally exclaimed. And then she became my only sparring partner.

To be perfectly honest, I didn't like sparring with Mercury. While she is closer to my height and makes for a fairer fight, her style is very unusual. Where, through visits with the few different combat masters living in the Silver Millennium, I had found an affinity for a style that was almost dance-like, Mercury employed one that was very close-ranged. She was always right up in my face that I could not make use of the kicks and leaps of my chosen style. A twist of her wrists and I was on the floor. A small sweep of her foot and I was on the floor. If I tried to lift my leg for a kick, I was on the floor.

This continued until two weeks ago, when the frustration of having my sore behind hit the floor again finally prompted a surged of power to my hands. Before I even knew what was happening, the golden light had shot out from my fingertip and straight into Mercury's chest. Fear had gripped me in its vise hold and I barely noticed when Mercury rolled to her feet and blasted a stream of water my way. It was thanks to instinct that I dodged it, and what was earlier just hand-to-hand became a full Senshi fight, my apprehension of its destructive powers gone.

"Good job," she said at the end of the spar. She had won again, but this time, I gave myself the goal of besting her one day soon instead of wallowing in frustration. "Your element is very powerful, Venus. Light. You should learn more about its properties and how you can manipulate it. You'll beat me soon enough."

And she had said it with not a shred of resentment that I finally settled upon the answer that she liked me.

But after today's event, I think the scale has tipped far into the negative and she now hates me. It happened at another sparring session. Mercury has a funny way of refereeing. She never just says stop. I have to look for it in her posture, in the way she relaxes when it's time to stop. Other times, I have to decide if an injury is bad enough to stop the fight. Mercury does it all instantly, in her head, and she'll either attack or stop depending on her decision. I only have that instant to decide if I have to defend or attack or stop. Today, I had decided wrongly after having my shoulder frozen by one of her ice attacks.

Now, I'm sitting outside the infirmary, trying to rub feeling back into my shoulder. I had thought it was just a simple case of ice encasing my shoulder, which usually wasn't cause for a halt in our sparring sessions. But it wasn't; Mercury's power is still growing as mine is. She had experimented with something, making her ice seep through my skin and freeze the insides. It turns out I am more susceptible to frostbite that way, and she had deemed it dangerous enough to stop so that she could carefully withdraw her magic.

And I had shot her in the head for her concern.

I remember seeing the blood pour from her head and I gasp. Artemis, a white cat from Mau, peers up at me from my lap. We had gotten quite fond of each other since my arrival; white cats are a lot cuter when they're smaller. And he was nice enough to persist when my initial fear often made me run at the sight of him. Sometimes, I entertain the ironic thought that he reminds me of my father.

"She'll be fine, Venus," he says gently.

I am crying. I haven't stopped since the soldiers rushed us and carried Mercury off to the infirmary.

"Venus," he tries again, and nuzzles his head against my shoulder. "Venus, you have to stop blaming yourself. It's not all your fault."

"How can you say that?" My voice is a whisper.

"Mercury is not perfect," he says, "no matter how much you want to see her as the perfect big sister. She has flaws. It's not normal to expect someone to think the same way you do, especially not when you have a mind like Mercury's."

"But—"

"Injury happens when you spar; it's inevitable."

"That doesn't mean you don't control your powers." I look up at the woman who had spoken. Appearing to be in the common early fifties, she is rather short, with a thin frame just like Mercury's. Her pale skin gleams a blue hue as she runs a hand through her greying hair. There is pure anger in her scowl that she directs at me.

"Nury," Artemis snaps. "She's just a child."

"My Princess is just a child," Nury shoots back. She speaks with a sort of staccato, as if speaking is not normal for her, which, being a Thoth as old as her, is probably true. "If she dies, the decimation of an entire race is all on you." She points a crooked finger at me.

"I'm sorry," I say.

"You're _sorry_?" She scoffs disdainfully. "If those words can ensure my Princess' safety, I'll accept it."

Artemis hisses threateningly. "It's not your call to accept it or not."

"Enough, both of you." Queen Serenity steps in between them. I blink. I hadn't notice her coming down the corridor. Then again, I hadn't noticed Mercury's Thoth nursemaid either.

Artemis leaps from my lap and bows his head. "My Queen."

Nury pays her courtesy. "Your Majesty. I am so grateful that you would visit Princess Mercury."

"Of course," Queen Serenity says, placing a comforting hand on her arm. "Has the healers come out yet?"

"No, my Queen," Artemis says. He subtly kicks my leg and I remember my manners.

"My Queen, please forgive me." I bow, trying to choke back sobs. "I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to hurt her."

"Oh, dear child." She pulls me into an embrace and I cling to her dress. In the back of my mind, I'm aware that this is very unorthodox, but I cannot bring myself to care right now. "It will be all right. I promise you it will be all right."

I pull back, look into her eyes, and hope surges within me. Queen Serenity is the Keeper of a Heavenly Crystal, the Silver Crystal. She has the power to heal! Tears well in my eyes again. She wipes them away gently, and with a smile, enters the infirmary. Unable to make myself move, I just stand there and wait. It feels like hours has passed and nothing happens. Maybe hours has indeed passed because I suddenly find my feet cramping up and Nury has taken my seat, thumping the bottom of her fists against her old knees. I shuffle my feet, trying to relieve the cramps.

"Have a seat, child," Nury says tiredly. She pats the space beside her, and after careful but quick deliberation, I comply. "Please forgive my earlier rudeness, child. I lose my head whenever it concerns Princess Mercury."

I shake my head. "No, you're right. I—"

"You are a child," she says over me, and she smiles wistfully. "You are just a child. It doesn't matter how mature you think you are. It doesn't matter that you are a Senshi. You are still only a child."

I am seven and a half in the common age, twelve in Ushas'. They will see what they see, but I know I cannot afford to hide behind the mask of a child anymore. I have to grow fast and get stronger, or this dangerous power will get the better of me.

Finally, the door opens, and a healer comes out to tell us we can enter. I let Nury go in first, and then Artemis. Inside, the smell of disinfectant and copper hits me. The whites of the walls seem to be closing in on me, and I feel like I will run into one of the empty cots with every step I take. We head to the only occupied cot in the room—wounded soldiers are rare during peacetime such as now. A second healer steps back to allow Nury to the bed. She drops to her knees and takes Mercury's hand in hers, pressing it to her forehead. My eyes wander to the tray beside the bed, taking in the bloody swabs of cotton and stitching instruments and gauze, the blood-red bowl of hot water the Queen Serenity is now washing her hands in.

"Venus," Artemis prods softly, forcing me to look at Mercury. For the most part, she looks exactly as she does when she's asleep. That is, until my eyes fall to her face and I see dried blood not yet washed off, pasty skin and a large section of her head where her hair had been shaved off. Perhaps the healers had been good enough to save her; but Queen Serenity was the one to have her recover immediately.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Nury gushes gratefully, "thank you."

I lift up the collar of my shirt and hide my face behind the cloth as I cry. Maybe I can be a child one last time.

I am playing with little Serenity when I hear the door to the nursery opens. Mercury bursts into the room, closely tailed by Nury, who is trying to fix the scarf on her head.

"Ah, Venus, I finally find you," she says happily. "Hand the Princess over to Nury and let's get on to the training grounds."

I cannot help but gape. It has only been two days since she was injured; surely she is still magically drained from having to sustain herself until the healers could work on her. It was that way for me after the panthers' attack.

"Princess, you should be resting," Nury objects. I nod in agreement.

"You won't let me read, you won't let me tinker with my toys," Mercury says dismissively, "now you won't even let me observe Venus train?"

"My objections lie in the fact that you should be sleeping to regain your energy, not moving about." Nury nods to herself when the headscarf finally sits right. "Nightfall is soon upon us."

"And I will have plenty of time to sleep then." Mercury takes little Serenity from me, gives the baby a tender kiss on the head, and then passes her to Nury. "But I've finally figured out what's been nagging me about Venus and I have to get it resolved!"

What? There's something wrong with me?

"Come with me, Venus." Mercury grabs my hand and leads me out to the range. She stands me in front of a target and points. "Second ring from the outside, two o'clock."

She doesn't give me a knife so I assume she wants a magical attack. I do as she instructs and there is a small hole exactly where she wants it.

"Good, good." She nods, and her headscarf loosens. She pays it no heed. "Now, keep your finger where it was, and shoot the same ring, eight o'clock."

I seriously wonder how I'm supposed to do that. My light beams always come out in a straight line.

"Try it," she encourages. She looks so excited that I cannot bear to question her.

My first try, the beam shoots straight into the hole I've already made. The next three give the same result. But Mercury looks no less excited.

"I knew it. You cannot control your attacks once you've launched it." I don't know why she sounds so proud about the fact when it was nearly the cause of her death. "Either it's not possible, or you just need practice. Come."

She brings me over to the weapons rack and pulls out two flails. "Can you detach the chains from the heads and the shafts, and link them together?"

Pulling the weapons apart isn't a difficult task with Senshi strength. The problem comes when it is time to link the chains together. The broken ends make it difficult to meld the links close.

"Use your magic."

"What magic?" I ask.

"I don't know," she says. "Mine's not a magical race."

"And magicians are rare in mine."

"That's still more than my people can ever produce. You have an affinity for metal. Is there such a thing as metal magic?"

"You mean like stone magic?"

"Yes."

"I don't know."

"Well, try it."

I sigh. This is a challenge I don't particularly want to take. But I close my hand around the connection and listen to the metal. I start to understand how it feels, and I talk to it, guiding it to stretch and bond. I don't know if it's working because my eyes are close, but it certainly feels as if I _am_ talking to someone and that someone is talking back, telling me what they can or cannot do, asking me how they should do something. When I open my eyes and my fist, I see that the links have connected, but the metal is a little thinner than the others. I now have a yard-long chain.

Mercury gestures for me to test it. I have never used a whip before. It's a little strange and feels awkward in my hand as I swing it around. But not for long. The chain is pure metal, and in some weird magical way, I talk to metal and it talks back. Mostly, it listens and obeys though. After a short while, I start to get a good feel of how the metal moves when I flick my wrist one way, what it does when I flick it another.

Mercury is practically bouncing with delight as she pushes me back to the target. I really wonder where she gets her energy when it comes to these things. "Hole."

Even with magic, practice is a much required action for perfection. The end of my chain smacks on the outside of the target, way off mark. I huff and try again. This one hits the ring a few inches from the hole. It's good enough for Mercury.

"Now hole and eight o'clock on the same ring immediately after," she says.

"What are you thinking?" I ask.

"Do and you'll find out soon," is all she says in reply. She absently scratches under the scarf, at the part where there was once a gaping hole. I want to say something, but she catches me before with a smile. "Well? Go on."

I am still off-mark, but I don't think that's the point because Mercury berates me about my technique. Instead of waiting for my first whip to go limp then flick again, she wants me to lash the chain a second time while it is still taut. That is, redirect the chain while it is still in the air.

It takes me many tries to get something that is remotely what Mercury wants. To her credit, she is a very patient person.

"Good," she says when I finally have a few successive successes. "Now do the same thing, but don't let the first lash hit."

"What?"

She repeats herself word for word. I sense there's sarcasm in her tone somewhere.

"Very funny." I make a face at her; she grins back. And I see now I've been worrying about how to apologise to her for nothing. All it would do is confuse her because she doesn't think it is something worth apologising for. For a survivor from Thoth, she is surprisingly lax about life and death. I worry about that sometimes.

It is late evening by the time I manage to achieve the technique Mercury seeks. _And_ she asks for more!

"Channel your Senshi powers through the chain as if it's an extension of your own limbs," she says again firmly, dismissing my pleas for rest. Artemis has to come out to escort us back to our rooms.

The next day, the chain juts forward in a straight line before going limp when my power shoots through it. Mercury tells me I am using an offensive power rather than a channelling one. When I finally succeed, the chain glows a golden light the same as my Senshi attacks, its force just as destructive as those attacks. I play around with it like a rash child, too excited for my own good. Mercury nearly has to douse me to stop me from hacking the target to pieces. She then takes me twenty yards away from the target and tells me to lash twice without hitting the first time.

"The distance between me and the target is twenty times longer than the length of this chain!" I object. I wave my meagre chain to emphasise my point.

"Trust me, Venus."

"I trust that you're mad."

"Venus, I _will_ pull seniority if I have to." She won't, but I sigh defeated anyway. "When you channel into the chain, pretend the chain _is_ your attack. Pretend it's the beam that comes out of your fingers. Only, more flexible."

I sigh again, closing my eyes. My power flows into the weapon, and with the guidance of my metal magic—which I am forced to concede to accepting—the chain is my hand and my aim. I pull my hand back, launch it forward, and the chain whips to the air in front of me, exactly one yard away. The same cannot be said for the golden light that encases the chain, however. It shoots on, stretching from the end of the chain toward my first target. Surprise stills my mind and I let it hit. Mercury clicks her tongue.

I try again, and this time, with a flick of my wrist, the chain whips left. The beam of light follows, curving just like how the chain curves.

"I did it," I whisper, stunned. There is a second hole opposite the first.

Mercury bows proudly, with an elegant flourish of her hands. "And now, my friend, you have learned how to redirect your attacks after launching it."

I drop the chain and throw my arms around her. She is so slim that even my little arms can wrap around her torso.

"Watch it," she cries out, laughter in her voice, "I'm not transformed."

I de-transform so I can continue hugging her without the risk of hurting her. "Thank you."

She runs a hand through my hair. "It's all right to make mistakes, Venus," she says gently. "Mistakes are there for you to learn from. Not to dwell on. You'll make many mistakes as you grow, Venus. Learn from them and you will be strong. Embrace what will make you great. I will help you."

* * *

_**A/N:**_ _I'm thinking now that t__his may seem a little out of character for Venus. But please understand that this story is a process of her growing and experiencing events that will come to pass. Also, this will be based on manga Venus, not anime Venus. Thank you Jovian Sun and otaku moon for your encouraging reviews. And for everyone else reading, thank you and I hope you'll like this._


	3. Sky

_**Chapter Three: Sky**_

I lie on the rocky, hard ground, staring up at the black sky glittering with faraway stars. The sun is still visible high up, and it will be days before nightfall arrives. I sigh and squirm, conflicted about how I feel at having pebbles digging into my back instead of soft grass. I have been living in the Silver Millennium for three common years now. I'm sixteen in Ushas' years, and fortunately, Ushas' children begin puberty at a much younger common age compared to our 'cousins' on Earth. Mercury is fuming because I've already surpassed her in height when, according to Nury, she's considered tall for a Thoth.

Five years have passed in Ushas. A lot can change in five years. I wonder if all the food and luxury has finally gotten the King fat. I wonder if a fat Ushas king will still be considered attractive. The thought makes me laugh out loud.

Mercury taps me on the forehead with the book she is reading. "The sun's getting to you," she comments.

Ah, the sun. The sun is not a sun without a blue sky, I think. That's what I miss most about Ushas: a blue sky. Being stuck inside a dome yet able to see the desolate vastness of black space is a little depressing; my Senshi transformation can only allow me so much outside the dome, where there is little to no atmosphere. I turn my head to Mercury. She, on the other hand, and the other Moon-dwellers have no need for respiration. The dome is a privilege offered to the non-native residents like Artemis and myself.

As a result, plants do not grow naturally here and I am forced to lie on stones instead of the great grass.

"I'm bored," I announce as I sit up.

Mercury offers me her book, as she is wont to do whenever I tell her I am bored. It usually shuts me up because I don't really like reading without a defined purpose. If she's done with the book, she'll usually give me a challenge. Like a test when I'm done; or better yet, a test in one day with a book that requires more to finish—if you're not Mercury.

"I suppose we can spar again," she says, shrugging. I'm just happy that she even entertains me.

"No, I don't feel like tolerating the embarrassment of another defeat." Mercury still bests me most of the time; her nine common years of training versus my three is no argument. But though I do like the challenges of sparring, her body can only take so much damage because of her Thoth biology, even with the Senshi enhancements. I watch her absently rub a sore point in her side that was the result of a simple kick. "How about we play pranks on the cats?"

"They are Mauii, Venus," she says, as uninterested as usual. I don't expect anything else; in fact, if she decides to surprise me by agreeing, I would have quickly dismissed it because I'm not that fond of pranks myself. One recruit a little older than me had pulled one on me once. He's never wanted to spar with me again after the first time.

"And I'm Ushas' child, yet _some_ like to compare me to Earth's people."

Artemis, and his grand idea of a tease. So I call him a cat.

And speaking of cats, I spy out of the corner of my eye the other Mauii, Luna, who has the form of a black cat. While I'm still not sure what Artemis' role in the Silver Millennium is, Luna seems have the position of Queen Serenity's assistant. This makes her words Queen Serenity's words and makes her a very powerful cat indeed.

"Good afternoon, girls," she greets amicably—she actually is a pretty nice person. "Sunbathing?"

"My definition of sunbathing is to lie under a bright blue sky," I say. "This,"—I gesture around me—"is call resting after having your behind kicked by a girl shorter than you."

Mercury bristles loudly. "If I'd kicked your behind you wouldn't be able to sit right now," she mutters.

I grin. I'm still growing while she is slowing down.

"Well, I may just have the answer to your prayers, Venus," Luna says.

"You'll begin trade with Ushas for real food?" I ask hopefully. Mercury's tinkering has exponentially expanded since the little toys in our room. She's close to finishing her designs on a teleportation station that non-Senshi can use and I'm getting really sick of the same things every time that come from a small farm within palace grounds raised for the very few non-natives living here.

"No, blue skies."

That's just as good. Blue skies mean natural atmospheres. That means a thriving plantation and animal community. That means variety!

"You're drooling," Mercury teases, guessing the process of my thoughts easily. To Luna, "A task so soon?"

"For Venus, perhaps," Luna replies. "For you, no. It's about time you got to use your Senshi abilities as they are meant to be used."

"There's a tyrant you want her to sack?" I ask, bewildered. I cannot imagine Mercury killing someone, let alone being asked to do so by Queen Serenity.

"No! No, of course not."

Mercury doesn't show it on her face, but I see the relief in her posture. "What does Queen Serenity want me to do?"

"Let me just remind you that you have a choice, both of you,"—Luna looks at me—"since the Queen would like it if you accompany Mercury. You can say no, and there will be no repercussions. The Queen takes you in as her ward because you want to learn under her; a task is a lesson. But how you choose to live your Senshi life is entirely up to you."

"Personally, I just want to build machines and solve life's mysteries the rest of my life." Mercury snaps her book shut. "But I cannot deny help to those I have the power to help."

Luna smiles.

They look at me expectantly.

"I'm not as noble as Mercury," I tell them seriously. "I really don't care about the others." It is true; I've found that I can be rather callous toward people I have no relations with. It doesn't bother me, but I can see that some of the Moon-dwellers treat me with wariness because of that. Not the ones that matter, though. "But for Queen Serenity and Mercury, I'll do anything."

* * *

Who knew that high-pitched baby wailing can be so ear-shatteringly irritating and endearing at the same time? I'm thinking that I may need to get my ears and brain checked when I finally get little Serenity to calm down. She still won't let me go, though, her tiny fingers pulling at the lapels of my bodice with surprising strength.

"Oh, Princess, please let go," I beg. It was only supposed to be a goodbye, to fill up on my daily dose of little Serenity cuteness before I leave with Mercury. She, however, did not like the idea and now clings to me like a jewelled koala.

"No," she cries. "No go, Vee-aas."

I nearly swoon at her adorable attempt to pronounce my full name. She has been calling me Vee ever since she could speak, which actually is only half a common year ago, despite her being three common years old then. Moon-dwellers have really strange biology. They're long-living, just a bit more than Thoths. But unlike Thoths, they age erratically—sometimes slow, sometimes fast—until prime maturity then maintain that youth until death, whereas Thoths age normally, stagnant for a period at prime maturity, then age slowly until they're elderly. So different from the constant aging rate of Ushas' children and Earth's people—and their much shorter lifespans, but I don't get to complain because as Senshi I'm practically immortal.

"Princess, this is important," I tell her gently. "There are people who need my help. Mine and Mercury's."

"Ri-ri?" The biology of a common year one-year-old, yet I have to remind myself that mental maturity is a whole other ridiculous complexity.

"Yes, especially Mercury."

She sniffs. "Why?"

I try to come up with something simple for her to understand, but draw up blank. How do I make fire-ravaging-a-whole-kingdom-to-ashes sound less nightmarish? Fortunately, Nury chooses at this time to make her appearance.

"Princess Mercury says you're taking too long," she says to me. She likes paraphrasing.

"I know, but…" I subtly gesture toward little Serenity.

Nury sighs and pulls her off me. She squeals, but doesn't struggle, settling moodily onto Nury's hip. Nury's watched over her enough times to submit her into Princess-like obedience. Apparently, the Thoth nursemaid is making up for her failure with Mercury.

"Your mother has asked for their help, Princess Serenity," Nury tells her. "You shouldn't keep Venus from your mother."

That gets little Serenity agreeable, and after giving me a peck on the cheek, she allows me to go.

I find Mercury waiting for me in the main atrium before the throne chamber. A picture of perfect control, the only way you can see her anxiety is by the way she positions herself to receive the greatest area of sunlight. I don't call attention to myself and it takes her a while to notice me. With a wry smile, she greets me by saying I am wasting time on sentimentals. I know she actually means herself.

She transforms, and as I see the power collecting her in hand, I freeze. We've tried teleporting before, the two of us together, to various parts of the Moon. Mostly successes, but the failures were not light. Once we materialised inside a boulder up to our ankles, and if not for our armoured shoes, we'd have lost both our feet.

Realising my hesitation, Mercury leads me outside to where she has built a large telescope. Finding our destination quickly, she projects them in various viewpoints: a tiny red dot on the whole planet Neto; a same-sized dot on the equator somewhere to the east of a large, dark area; that dot next to a blazing field that cast red and orange through the screen. This is her idea of helping me to visualise our destination, but it's a little daunting to see the largeness of the fire, even though it is Mercury who is the one who has to put it out.

We touch our palms together and our combined power instantly overwhelms us. I try to concentrate on the red dot to the east of the dark area.

Oh, damn.

When the power settles and I can feel a change in pressure and gravity, I reluctantly open my eyes. And I know without a doubt that this dense, wooded surrounding with the impossibly tall trees is the dark area that I got distracted by.

Mercury doesn't chide me; she knows that I know I've made a mistake. Instead, she takes to studying the area. When I say the trees are tall, it's an understatement. The trunks shoot up so high in the sky that I can barely make out where the canopy begins. All I can tell is that it is thick up there. So thick that the sky is blocked out and I can't help the disappointment.

"Which way?" Mercury asks.

Sometimes, when we have choices and it's usually her forte to derive the best option, she makes me do it. I don't know why and when I ask her, she just tells me to choose again. I'm suspicious but she can be surprisingly unbreakable when she wants to.

I sniff the air and there's the distinct smell of smoke. I feel for the direction of the wind and we run against it. Sure enough, we soon encounter faint wisps of the smoke itself. Mercury makes a noise of encouragement. As the smoke thickens and the temperature begins to rise, we are forced to slow down. Even in our Senshi forms, my nose and throat sting and I can barely see through teary eyes, while Mercury looks only mildly irritated, with red eyes and the occasional twitch of her nose. It is at this time I envy her lack of need for respiration.

"There," she says when the edge of the forest is in sight and the bright glow of the blaze reaches us. We change directions and she takes us around the oncoming fire that's trying, so far unsuccessfully, to catch onto the barks. "These are called Ayermu trees," she tells me, pointing to the nearest tree. I see now that the bark is actually slick with a clear liquid. "They, in forest clumps all over the equator, are the only source of water for the whole of Neto."

"They don't get rain?" I ask, my voice a rasp.

"Occasionally," she says. "But any water that reaches the ground is gone almost instantly. Ayermu trees have a collection of roots that run all over the planet and suck in all traces of underground and surface water." She points to a pipe embedded into a trunk that runs into the ground. "That's how the Netoans get their water."

We come round the field that neighbours the forest, onto a stone pathway that burns the sole of my feet. I have to keep a good distance away as Mercury lingers close to the fire. Thoths. Despite their frailty of body, their resistance to some common fatal situations—radiation, extreme heat and cold—makes them a hardy bunch in the most uninhabitable of planets.

She comes back to where I stand, muttering to herself. "Satellites. Mini satellites. Scanners." To me, "The fire won't spread further from here. Let's head to the village and see what we can salvage there." She makes me lead the way again as she distracts me from the heat of the fire by telling me about Neto.

Neto. The red planet. And like Ushas, has only one ruling kingdom. Unlike Ushas, though that kingdom is regarded the official Neto ruler, some territories have been warring for independence—either for sole control of valuable produce, or out of desperation for more water—and a few dependable ones have gotten it. Still, most pledge allegiance. Probably because the King is good and fair enough. Most likely because his younger sister is a Senshi. And her power is, ironically, the very destructive fire.

We find her at the second village after the field. Long black hair highlighted violet with the light. Sharp red skirt that's accentuated by the flames. A commanding presence as she guides the castle knights to bursting water pipes toward the blaze and pulling injured villagers to safety. At first, I wonder how useful her powers would be against this massive blazing strip. Seconds later, I see her in action. It turns out there _is_ something literal to the phrase 'Fight fire with fire.' Her flames more powerful, she can raze a building down in seconds flat until there's nothing left for the natural flames to catch on. I guess that's how she controls the fire from spreading past this single direction to the forest.

As Mercury looks around for, I don't know what, the red Senshi notices us and comes over. She is a little taller than me, and there's something about her features that makes me think my eyesight's been damaged by the smoke until I see nothing's wrong with Mercury. Then I see that her large eyes, astoundingly violet, and her slightly unbalanced, somewhat pointed ears are true features of the Netoans. Funny; where Ushas' children can be considered cousins of Earth's people, Netoans are supposed to be the next closest relative. Seems to me that Thoths or Moon-dwellers should have gotten that claim.

"Lady Venus," she greets, her breaths coming out in huffs, sweat lining her brows. "I am Princess Mars, of the Neto kingdom."

How does she know of my stupid status? As far as I know, my castle still has a ways to go before its completion. No amount of telescopes not made by Mercury peeking into Ushas should be able to tell that that little clump of stones belong to me. I doubt Queen Serenity would go telling everyone about it.

I just bow.

"Princess Mercury—" Mars begins.

"Just Mercury," Mercury says curtly. She doesn't like the reminder and barely tolerates it with Nury out of respect.

Mars nods. "Forgive me."

Mercury points. "How far away is the other end of the blaze?"

"Just outside the castle walls," she says. "The stone walls are keeping it contained."

"How far?" she repeats.

Mars blinks. "About ten miles."

She frowns and heads off in that direction. I am left to quickly explain to a baffled Neto Princess her behaviour. Then we both follow her to the castle, Mars grumbling about why we aren't using our full speed. Mercury jumps up to the roof of a tower at the castle wall, takes a moment to study the blaze in front of her, then raises her hands to the smoke-darkened sky. Nothing happens.

"What power does she have?" Mars asks.

The girl can tell a block of stones belong to me but she doesn't know Mercury's power?

"Water," I say.

"A lot?"

No. As far as I can tell, Mercury excels in the manipulation of water, not amassing massive volumes of it. "Maybe."

Mars doesn't like my vagueness, but I take the opportunity of her brief silence to find something to do. Really, what's my purpose here? For the heck of it, I shoot a bolt of my power at the fire. There's an instant where I see a gap in the flames, before it closes in. If I could manipulate light as well as Mercury manipulates water, I could have created one large panel and dump it on the flames. Sadly, I can't, and I am left with nothing to do. It reminds me of what my father once said and I immediately scout around. Maybe there's a large sheet of metal somewhere I can slide between the fire and the wall and work it like my chain. But Neto is all stone. Good, solid stone roads that keep the fire from spreading sideways, but makes walking torture.

Eventually, I feel a chill on my cheeks instead of the heat. There's some moisture in the air instead of dryness. I look up toward the sky. There is a strange ripple among the smoke. I tell Mars to send all her knights away, just in time before the sky pours down on us. The water that comes down is probably only enough to fill a small lake. But Senshi water is not normal water. It doesn't evaporate unless the Senshi commands it to. Mercury's arms extend and retract, her hands waving, controlling the flow of water as it barrages left, right, straight on. I see now that's why she waits to douse the water, why she climbs the castle wall. The height gives her a clear view of her target. The view is straightforward until the end. When the smoke has gotten too thick, blocking her view, but I think she's gotten a good fifteen miles doused, she raises the pool up and turns it into snow, letting the wind carry the snow to the rest of the blaze on the field.

There's a smile on my lips despite the smoke, but instead of joy, Mars is frowning. I follow her gaze and see Mercury's body growing limp. With a yell, I run for her. Mars join me. I catch her just before her feet leaves the roof.

"I got you," I say, one arm around her waist and the other outstretched for balance. Mars takes it. "I got you."

"Well," she rasps. "Then pull me up."

This gets a snort out of Mars, who I've begun to think is too serious for her age. By the common years, based on Mercury's information, she's younger than me, even though Netoans end puberty faster and I see it in her features.

We set Mercury on the tiling, and she sways, falling back. Her skin has never been noticeably warm, but there is a frightening chill there. Her eyes flutter shut, and I remember with dread that nightfall had only just ended on the Moon, during she had spent most of it awake working on that teleportation device.

"Mercury! No, don't fall asleep!" I shake her shoulders, trying to rouse her. "You have to help me teleport," I say to Mars.

"Teleport?" she asks. "If that's something you learn under Queen Serenity's care, I don't know it."

I shake Mercury again, desperate. I shoot a beam into the sky, and distressingly note through the parting in the smoke that it is nightfall in Neto.

"Venus, she moved," Mars whispers.

I look back, but whatever Mars saw, it's over. I try to find a connection between what I had done and her moving. It really doesn't help that my head is still pounding from the smoke and anxiety. So, the smoke definitely has nothing to do with it. Nightfall doesn't help, and what little parting there was did not reveal the light from a moon. Light. There was light from my power.

Of course! Thoths get their energy from solar radiation. My power _is_ light.

My hands glow, and I make sure to run them through the air all over Mercury's body. Mars catches on and lights her whole body on fire. I grit my teeth against the heat, but don't ask her to move away.

It's a long and agonising wait, but when Mercury opens her eyes and smiles, I think it's worth it.

* * *

Luna promised me a blue sky. But even after helping the Netoan clean up their land and their wounded, and attend the King's banquet—oh, but the delicious banquet was almost worth the stay—the smoke has been too thick for sunlight to come through. And now, when it is time to leave, it is nightfall. Mercury comes up to me, rubbing her flat belly in distaste. She'd had to have a few nibbles because the Netoan King gets offended easily, and though I had hope she'd like the food so she could join me when I'm eating, it isn't sitting well with her. It's a false hope anyway. I've offered some of the Silver Millennium soldiers apples before, and only one didn't have an upset stomach and thought the taste was nice enough. Really, why have a stomach at all then if they only live off light?

"Shall we go?" she asks.

Decisions, again. This is an easy one. "Sure."

We turn to bid farewell to the King but find Mars blocking our approach. "I heard you," she says.

"Heard what?" I think hard if I've said anything offensive lately. I know I had been comparing the Netoan King with Ushas' King, but I don't think I said anything bad out loud.

"Teach me how to teleport and I'll show you," she continues.

"Show me what?" Seriously, a little more detail would be nice.

But Mercury understands and grins excitedly. "Deal."

"What?" I gape at her. "No. No deal." Besides, if Mars has something good to offer, she owes it to us for saving her kingdom.

Evidently, the offer must have something to do with me because Mercury gives me a vague everything-is-fine look and walks away with Mars. I follow, but she shoos me away, saying I have to conserve my energy to support the three of us when we teleport later.

"Don't leave me with—" She quickly hushes me and points to her ears. Mars just seems agreeable to what she's implying.

"Watch your tongue," Mars says.

"Why? Don't tell me you have tongue bandits here?"

Mars chuckles. She thinks I'm joking. I'm really not.

"Mingle," Mercury suggests. "We'll be back shortly."

Someone really should specify a time limit to which 'shortly' no longer applies. I find myself never short of courtiers as I wait. The never-ending comments and flatteries about my golden hair and beauty. My tenderness and kindness, though I don't know where they get that from. They are practically just buzzes in my ears; I just smile and reply politely whenever I think they are expecting something. I can't take any pride because it's just a natural look for Ushas' children. A sort of shape and balance that makes our features attractive. Nothing I worked for.

Mars practically has to order the courtiers away when she finally returns. She takes me to the courtyard where Mercury is inspecting a strange red sculpture. A scream stuns us and through one open door at the far end of the courtyard, I see two knights dragging a wailing person through the dark corridors.

"Rot," Mars mutters with a scowl. And I know the man must be the arsonist.

"All right." Mercury brings us together. "So, tasks. Venus, you keep your mind blank and just supply the power. Mars will focus on our destination and a bit of power supply. I'll just tag along, all right?"

More than all right. She's still not quite strong after that first interplanetary teleport and exertion of magic just over a day ago. Surely, she did a test teleport with Mars once and that would take up a lot of what energy she has left. Even Mars looks a bit winded.

We hold hands, and I pool all the magic I have and feel it transfer through the other girls, touch Mars' and amplify. There is a ripple on my skin, like waves lapping at me. I quickly stop my thought process there because it is definitely a bad idea to be thinking about Ushas' oceans now.

We arrive, and I topple to my rear end. Mars follows unwillingly and Mercury sits down.

"Does it ever get better?" Mars asks.

"Short-distance teleports don't take up much," Mercury replies. "However, at our level, not much is still a good percentage of our magic. Interplanetary travel can take nearly a day to recover from."

"So, hey," I say slowly, looking around. If this is the cost of my torture with the Netoan courtiers, then I've been cheated. We are on a little stone hill, nothing but plains all around us. It is still dark and the stars aren't much of a surprise. I think they look better from the Moon. "What are we doing here?"

Mars closes her eyes and tilts her face upward, almost like she's feeling the air. "Just a few more minutes."

So I wait. And the surprise is the best surprise of all. I've seen many sunrises on the Moon. It's nothing compared to the lightening of the dark sky, the streaks of pink and orange chasing away the midnight blue. The round yellow orb popping up from behind the green tops of an Ayermu forest. The magnificent change from black to orange to blue.

Too exhausted to teleport again, we are just content to sit the rest of the common day away watching white clouds fly in the blue sky.

* * *

_**A/N:** Thank you Jovian Sun and Guest for the reviews. It's greatly appreciated and I'm glad you enjoyed it.  
_

_Hope this chapter satisfies! :) Have a good week, everyone.  
_


	4. Ravens

_**Chapter Four: Ravens**_

"You scared off my game!"

When Mars' image finally pops on screen, an instant just after her voice screamed at me, I cannot help but burst into laughter at the glare she tries to give me. She's given me so many over the years since we've met that I long ago learned to stop finding it scary and decided it was funny. Laughter is just a normal reaction to funny. And Mars has a funny face.

"Oh. Wow. Hey, I think this thing's not working." Her dry voice permeates the air through the hidden speakers as her image suddenly jumps up and down the screen. She's shaking the communication device hard. "Well. Time to say goodbye."

The screen flickers black, and I wait grinning. Less than a minute later, Mars calls back and holds up what looks like the Netoan version of a giant rabbit. "See," she groused, "_this_ is what I have to settle for because of your stupid ringing. You owe me a karnab!"

Forget the face. Netoan animals are the real clowns with their multi-coloured coats. Her image shakes, and this time, it's because my hand is trembling too much with me. She cuts off our communication, and I have to call her back this time when I'm done.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry," I say, plastering the most serious expression I can muster onto my face. "Truce."

"I'm serious about that game, Venus," she says.

"Why are you hunting? You have servants hunting for you."

"My servants hunt for me and I hunt for the villagers. It's something you do when you're responsible for hungry people, you know?"

"Hey, don't look at me," I argue. "I've been there."

"Really?" There is deep disbelief in her voice.

"Well, I've hunted for food and I was part of a two-person party responsible for keeping each other safe." I think about it. "All right, not as noble as what you do, but think micro to your macro."

She pauses, and I just realise I've touched a nerve. Strange nerve it is, Mars gets uncomfortable whenever I mention my life on Ushas.

"The forest is right for pickings today," she says casually. "You should come and help me. You owe me game."

I'm very tempted. I haven't hunted in so long I think my senses are dulling. Still target boards and ambitious little recruits that need to be put down their place just aren't the same. But I have a task.

"How about you come over?" I pitch my voice, raise one brow, make it sound like a challenge. Mars is often too prideful and falls for challenges before she knows it.

But she is cautious and makes a face. "No offense to Mercury, but I don't trust that thing."

'That thing' is the teleportation station that Mercury has finally finished. Set up in the welcome courtyard just before the entrance to the main ten-acre courtyard that leads up to the Silver Millennium palace, it looks more like a decorative arch than a machine. A gate more than a station, really. The structure is made of special glass, some sections clear, some sections you have to squint to make out the microscopic wirings and chips embedded inside. A few feet away by the wall is a control panel that only a few select people know how to operate. One wrong code and you could open the exit portal inside a wall. It's not so bad, though, if you want to open a portal to a place that also has a station. Neto is the only planet to have the second half of Mercury's creation so far.

"You have ten minutes to come and stop me before I tell Mercury that."

"You wouldn't dare." She's not afraid, though. She just has too much respect for her.

"Ten minutes, Mars," I repeat. Then, in a lower voice, in my cheekiest tone, I say, "You know you want to."

She bristles and disconnects. I promptly slide off my bed and leap out of the window of my room. Unlike Mercury, for whom the Moon is very close in surface condition to Thoth—a milder temperate land in fact—I always feel like my stomach's bouncing around in my body whenever I walk around untransformed. When I discovered that my body was getting brittle from the lighter gravity, Senshi form became my permanent form.

I find Mercury in the main courtyard, lounging against a raised bed of crystalline flowers, reading. As usual. Not far away, a bench has been set up for a picnic. Well, as much of picnic as it can be called for Moon-dwellers. Instead of food, toys, books and painting utensils cover the entirety of the bench top. All belong to little Serenity, who is shrieking in delight as she crawls under the bench, trying to escape her mother who apparently can only catch her from the narrow ends of the table.

I plop down beside Mercury. "Who's she this time?"

"The picnic monster," she says uncreatively, "who tortures with kisses if you can't colour within the lines."

Queen Serenity finally catches her daughter, and as promised, showers her with kisses on every inch of her face.

"Mars is coming," I tell Mercury.

"When?"

"Three minutes." I've actually lost track of the exact time, but if I tell her that she gets a little grumpy. It never lasts more than a minute, but grumpy doesn't suit her.

There's a sly smile on her lips as she gets up. "I will meet you there."

As I go to leave, little Serenity suddenly latches onto my leg from nowhere. "Vee, where're you going?" Her words slur together so adorably I nearly swoon.

"Picking up a friend." I pluck her from my leg and allow myself a few seconds of snuggling. Queen Serenity takes the moment to catch her breath. Figuratively, of course. I have no idea what these people do instead.

"I wanna go," she says with a pout.

I playfully pinch her protruding lips. "Now, what did I say about pouting?"

"You'll hang a basket on it one day," she says demurely. The pout disappears.

"Remember that." I'm not at all remorseful about the white lie. It gets a laugh out of Queen Serenity, and if she approves, that's all the better. "And no, Princess, you cannot come. Today you're to keep your mother company." Then I cave. "But I'll bring my friend over to see you."

"Yay," she shrieks. And then crawls over to Queen Serenity with stories of my new friend. It's fortunate that Moon-dwellers develop speech and mental maturity faster than their bodies. I cannot imagine how I can handle being stuck in a toddler's body for at least four common years already.

I bow to Queen Serenity and then run to the station. I have a strong feeling I'm late. True enough, enough guards are already in position and a scribe waits when I reach the station. Mercury is already there, transformed and perched atop the arch like a domestic cat at the edge of a fishing pond, and I have to remind myself that there's always a brilliant reason why she does strange things.

The jewel melted into the glass under Mercury's feet glows a bright red and there's a short siren warning of the gate's activation. The air ripples under the arch of the gate, as if I'm looking through a gentle waterfall. It's a long time before anyone comes through. Understandable. Neto has had the other station for weeks but they've decided that the first person to go to the Silver Millennium on the Moon shall be Mars. Partly because she's Senshi so she has first right to visit the land where Queen Serenity resides. Mostly because she's Senshi, and if anything goes wrong, she's more likely to survive than anyone else. And Mars tends to think if it can go wrong, it most probably will.

So it is a big step for her when she finally comes through that I give a genuine applause. Of course, she thinks I'm mocking her and ignores me.

"Princess Mars," I say with a bow, "welcome to the Silver Millennium."

She knows I am being serious with protocol because I never call her Princess, and she has to acknowledge my presence. Inclining her head with her right hand over her heart in the Netoan way, she returns the greeting. "Thank you for inviting me, Sailor Venus." Here, I am not a Lady. Neto will recognise titles given on other planet and offer the respective treatment, but you can choose to decline such treatment in the Silver Millennium. And Mars has to follow the procedures of the world she is in. Because I asked not to be regarded as a Lady, my only title is Sailor, which is universal for all Senshi everywhere.

"Where's Mercury?" Now that the first official greeting is over for the records, she drops the façade of courtesy, taking good, long looks at her surroundings.

I want to tell her to look up, but when I see Mercury taking swipes at the air, I suddenly have a feeling I'm not supposed to. She grins victoriously and then jumps off to the control panel, shutting off the gate and shooing the guards and scribe. Mars has a very guilty look on her face when she's approached.

"Hello, Mars," Mercury greets simply, as if she's done nothing strange at all.

"Mercury," Mars replies tersely.

"You know what I have in my hand, don't you?"

I don't. But I'm not going to undermine Mercury's agenda with a confused expression. I join them as if I'm part of it.

"Yes," Mars says, and she shoots me a glance of what can almost be called betrayal.

"Spying on the Silver Millennium." Mercury clicks her tongue disapprovingly.

I almost ruin our act now that I know what's going on. Mars is not just the Princess and Senshi of Neto. She's the spymaster of the entire kingdom. There's no end to the rumours of the greatness of her network of spies. I've long suspected she has spies in other planets, but can never confirm it because there's no non-Senshi I can think of that can travel between planets. In Mercury's hand must be the elusive travelling spy.

"I mean, there is no law saying you can't spy," Mercury continues. "But what will the others say? Why would you ever need to spy on Queen Serenity?" She opens her hand to display the bug. It's a cute little thing; there's something about the rounded torso and six little paws and a visible smiling mouth that makes calling it an insect almost insulting. I recognise the creature: trainable, able to survive space and can fly at near the speed of sound; it can only be found on Neto's two moons. It is also scarily sapient in that it can memorise and repeat conversations like a recorder.

"We've got nothing to hide," she says, "but on principle, I have to activate this machine I have that poisons little bugs like this. Unless…"

I have to turn my head to hide my grin. She's so obviously teasing now that it's just funny that Mars isn't getting it.

Mercury produces a cylindrical glass thing. "Unless you agree to take this to your home and promise not to shoot it down when it flies up into your atmosphere and orbits there."

"What?" Mars looks dumbfounded. I burst out laughing. It's the third time today at Mars' expense and she's going to make my life miserable after this, but I don't care.

"You can go on thinking you need to spy on us, and in exchange, you let me set up a satellite to monitor your planet," Mercury explains, kicking me away. "Seriously, you have way too many fires for your own good."

Mars finally gets it and exhales exasperatedly. If it were anyone else, I suspect a good yelling would have come instead. "You couldn't have asked?"

Mercury shrugs. "Same reason you rather use spies than ask us about the Moon yourself. We work on what we know guarantees success."

"I can still say no."

"But you won't."

"I won't," Mars assents, "but it's not because of this game you played."

"I know. But your agreement isn't the success I was looking for." We slap our palms together triumphantly even though I wasn't part of the joke.

"Children," Mars mutters, shaking her head. She's trying so hard not to smile.

* * *

We give Mars a quick tour of the palace even though she hasn't said she'd withdraw her little bugs. But it's true, we have nothing to hide from her. Somewhere along the way since witnessing that sunrise together, we've become more than just allies. We are comrades. Friends. Family.

I introduce her to little Serenity, and when the girl jumps from my arms to her, the way her eyes bulge and the way she holds little Serenity at arm's length sets me off again. But when we leave, she keeps glancing back.

"Aren't you worried about the Princess?" she asks.

"Why?"

"Don't you think she's too friendly?" She frowns back at the mother-daughter scene again. "She doesn't know me and yet she acts like she'd follow me back to Neto if I took her with me."

"She probably will."

"That's not good," she exclaims. "Someone could just take her."

"Who?" I ask.

"Someone!" She throws up her hands. "There's always someone."

"Our security is solid, Mars," Mercury reminds. "You have firsthand knowledge of that. And you've never been able to enter the dome before. Both yourself and your bugs."

"Mercury, you have me, and you have someone with years of experience on me and a more impressive network of actual spies."

"Then I guess you should keep learning," Mercury says simply.

She nods. "The bugs stay," she mutters, and I know it's not for her own spymaster peace of mind.

Mercury takes us to the computer room. She has already sent a satellite to Earth and has one orbiting the Moon; here is where the data collected is recorded, read and analysed. The main screen shows data on a comet that has been orbiting nearly. It's rather small, it'd burn up if it entered Ushas' atmosphere. However, the same cannot be said about the Moon.

The comet is the true reason Mars is here.

"You want me to help blow it to smaller pieces?" she asks Mercury.

"Not exactly." Mercury taps on the keys and the screen zooms in to the edge of the dark side of the asteroid. "My satellites have discovered there are signs of life there."

That's news to me.

"A civilisation living on ice?"

"Accidental stowaways are more likely. The reading is small; there are possibly only a handful of people there."

"So, saving then blowing up."

"Again, not as simple as that," Mercury says. "This one has been knocked out of its orbit far beyond our Solar System. For all we know, whatever's living there could have doing so for years. Generations. They don't know anything else. Or, it could be a hostile invasion."

Mars points to the screen. "This says it's unlikely to find orbit with Tinia and will head straight for the Sun. If hostile, that's ideal."

"And if not?"

* * *

And if not, we are in for one dangerous ride.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me!" I scream at Mercury.

"Venus—"

"Absolutely not!" I pace, ignoring the amused look Mars is giving me. "You want us—the three of us—to teleport up to that icy mass flying at insane speeds in space. Forget about trying to settle on the rock itself, if we miss, we're stuck in space. Mercury, you can survive in space. Mars and I have a very limited time up there in our Senshi forms."

"Leave the landing to me, you two can supply the power."

"It's risky, Mercury!"

"You know very well that I'm not a risk-taker," she says calmly. "But there are people there who will die."

"That's not our job!" And then I realise how I sound and I want to shoot myself in the head with a crossbow that Mars will most likely supply. Now she can only help by whacking the back of my head, but it's not enough. I'm still alive, on my two feet, eye to eye with Mercury. She's remarkably impassive, but her eyes have taken on that dark, cold look that sends shivers down my back. I am the worst. When you have a friend who survived a cataclysmic meteor shower, and everyone and everything but that one aging caretaker was wiped out entirely, you don't tell her to send someone else down that same fate.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, ashamed.

"No, you're right." Her tone is indifferent and I can't tell if there's a double meaning. "It _is_ risky. Besides, if we are to put a name to what we're doing, this 'job' we have, it is to be here, protecting _our_ people. We fail that if we die out there, and that is a much bigger failure." She stares coolly. "Your decision, Venus."

Why? Why is it always my decision? What are you trying to prove? I want to say to her. But I can't, because she will never answer. And she probably hates me so much now that ignoring me will come easy. I almost want to say yes just to regain her favour. But somehow, I get the feeling I'll sink lower if I do that.

"Can the station home in on the target?" I ask, keeping the defeat out of my voice.

"No, it's too fast."

"How confident are you getting us there safely?"

She meets my eye. "Confident."

"Do we have a time frame?"

"Any time between now and an hour later is ideal for teleporting. Surface conditions should be safe for you two for about ten hours, but I am certain we'll be done within the hour." She gestures to the data on the screen. "Like I said, there are only a handful of people. Evacuation will be quick; if convincing is required, it will be longer, but we'll leave regardless if it takes any longer than three hours."

"You want to do this?"

"Yes."

"Mars?"

She shrugs. "We're stronger than before. It's a waste to limit our abilities to just firefighting."

It's true. There's no challenge to dousing fires anymore. The words of my father return to me and I have to swallow. I'm not noble. The only possible noble thing I can claim for myself is that I have no qualms about dying for Queen Serenity and her daughter, and Mars and Mercury. Going on missions to rescue Netoan villagers or mess with barbaric overlords is just to pass the time, to stop my mind from wandering. I _do_ need more.

Ushas help me, am I agreeing to save people only because I'm bored?

I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I notice suddenly Mercury's right in front of me. All those years of sparring pull at my instincts and I wince, preparing for a painful behind.

"It's only because you keep thinking that way," she says instead, smiling softly.

"What?"

"You think you do things because you need to." She pats my shoulder encouragingly. "Quite the opposite, actually."

I don't understand, but I have a feeling that going to that comet will explain her. So I agree.

* * *

I'm cursing myself for agreeing now. The wind roars in my face, a mixture of dust scratching at my skin and strange-smelling gasses penetrating my nose. My body burns, and I cannot tell if it's because of the heat or cold. Every step I take, I either slip in some oily muck or powder or ice. Beside me, Mars cries out in surprise when her foot breaks through the surface and she plunges to her knee. When I help her up, she's shaking badly and her leg's freezing cold.

"Step where I step," Mercury tells us. She's the only one not blind in this place because of her computer that she sticks close to her nose. Made of the same glassy material as the teleportation gate, it's as good as a one of her satellites for ground level scanning without the need to communicate with the main computer back in the palace. A bright yellow arrow points us in the direction of the stowaways.

It's a struggle to even move in this storm. Mercury has put up an ice shield that we huddle behind, but even that is slowly being chipped away by the dust. The hour is almost up and I'm about to remind her of that when she abruptly stops. I cannot see, but the computer says there's a deep hole just at our feet.

"Venus," Mercury says, holding her hand up at me. I remove the chain I keep at my waist—a gorgeous, amazingly strong thing she had a blacksmith make for me out of the finest Moon ore—and give her one end. The other I wrap around my forearm and I take a low stance. Physically, the chain is only a yard long. But I've learned to make my light safely tangible through the chain and that can be extended. While Mars takes hold of my other hand, Mercury lowers herself down. Panic rises when I can no longer see her.

"Think she's all right?" Mars yells in my ear.

The chain grows limp before I can answer. "Hey, you're not supposed to let go," I shout down into the dark, suffering a mouthful of grit.

"Come down," is her reply.

Sharing a wary look with Mars, I light up my hand and take careful steps into the ice below. There is warmth at my back as Mars heats her body up against the extreme cold. Looks like I'll be the first one to freeze in this forsaken rock.

The tunnel is short, and the cavern we come into is no bigger than my old house back on Ushas. Mercury's closer than I thought and I nearly trip over her in my appreciation of the misty cave.

"Mercury?" I lower my hand. And I see that it wasn't her that I tripped over. A different girl—a child, basically—lies stiff and blue at my feet. Mercury is checking her pulse, rubbing her skin.

"Mars," she calls.

"She's alive?" I ask dumbly, because of course she is if Mercury's getting Mars to thaw her out.

"She's from outside our Solar System," she says, cradling the girl's head in her lap. "I can't say much about her race, but it seems the cold puts them into stasis. She is very much alive. Not healthy, but alive."

The girl suddenly shudders, gasping softly.

"Mars, there's one more over there," Mercury says quickly. Apparently, it's sufficient now for us non-fire-using Senshi to take over the thawed girl. Mercury rubs her arms while I take the legs. The girl is coughing and crying, flinching at our touch.

"Hush now, it's all right," Mercury coos gently, rocking the girl. "You're all right. You're safe. We won't hurt you." The girl responds well to her voice, slowly calming down. Mercury tries to hand her to me because I have the body heat, but she shrinks back. "All right, all right." Mercury takes the girl back into her arms, whispering soft, consoling words.

The girl tries to speak. It comes out hoarse and dry from the time unused, almost inaudible. "P-Phobos?"

"Your friend?"

"Right here." Mars comes back into my light, a girl in her arms the same image as the one in Mercury's. Twins, I think. This one, however, seems to be made of stronger constitution; she watches us silently with a wary gaze. But the way she clings to Mars' collar dissolves the last shred of caution I have about finding strange children in comets.

"Let's go home," I say.

* * *

We watch the twins rush Mars as she steps out of the gate, excitedly chattering in that quiet manner they seem to take. It turns out that people from Coronis cannot speak a decibel over a whisper, and the only one who can comfortably hold a conversation with them is Mars and her impossibly sharp ears. So they see her more while recovering in the infirmary, and have grown quite attached. She complains to me that they're just annoying children, but I can see them slowly breaking her. Even as she chides the twins for their sudden outburst—if it can even be called that—I see one hand patting Phobos' head, and the other being held by Deimos.

"Are you sure?" I ask Mercury, turning away from the scene.

"Unfortunately, there is no way I can return them to their home planet," she says with a frustrated sigh. "No one in this Solar System has heard of Coronis, and the twins have absolutely zero astronomy skills so I don't even have a starting point for a search. They can't even tell me how they got on the comet. For better or worse, they're stuck here."

"Yeah, but letting them go to Neto?" I gesture back to the palace, the dome above us. "Isn't this the place where the refugees stay?"

"I think Mars will be good for them. They need someone to help them adapt to life here."

"Aren't they as adaptable as the Netoan moon bugs?" They look like them too, but I don't say it aloud.

"I mean mentally and emotionally," Mercury says. "Mars can give them things to do. We… Not so much, as you can attest."

"But Neto catches fire easily," I protest, "and sometimes there are wars. Bad people."

"So they'll be safer here?"

"Of course!" How does she not know that?

"You _do_ care," she says, grinning.

I blink. "What?"

"You know, Venus, out of all of us, you're the one who cares the most."

I want to argue, but I have a feeling that Mars doesn't die for others easily, and Mercury has the biggest reason of all to stay alive no matter what. "Only toward the ones that matter," I say.

"You're underestimating the amount that matter to you," she says knowingly. "It's not just the people who matter directly to you. It's also the people who matters to the people who matter to you, who you also invite into your tight circle. You think you're saving the Netoans to pass the time, then why do you stay and talk to the wounded or dying? Why do you let them—these strangers—hold your hand and you listen as they cry about their dead family? You don't notice the tears you shed when they pass. The kind of threats you make to the barbarians who rape children and kill harmless farmers."

I try to recall the things she said I've done, but my memory's being quite selective. It's maddening.

She leans in close to my ear. "Whatever's plaguing you, Venus, let it go. See the truth." Then she places a hand to the side of my head and shoves me playfully. "Too serious, Venus."

I break into a grin. Well, whatever it is, I have time to figure it out. It's not as if my world will come to an end any time soon.


	5. Enchanting

_**Chapter Five: Enchanting**_

Ushas' touch to destroy insolence. Ushas' words to overpower arrogance. Ushas' breath to beat back this bloody wind that dares challenge her! Ushas damn this planet that dares threaten your child!

Mercury yelps and nearly flies off again. Mars and I quickly grab her hands and stuff her between us. Curses return to run rampant in my mind. Ushas hex this forsaken planet to oblivion!

"I told you this is a bad idea," I shout. At least, I think I do. The wind's roaring so loudly in my ears that I can't even hear myself. I fear I may soon go deaf if we don't get out of here soon.

Mars just shrugs, gesturing to Mercury and to our left. She can hear me and she's the only one who can see in this storm. I think it frustrates her that we can't do the same and she's rendered effectively mute. We look to Mercury, who is taking a moment to despair at her shattered computer. Glass. I could have said I told you so, but since I've never given any indication of what I thought because I trust her designs, I can't. Besides, I suspect this wind is stronger than most forces by the way her skin's being rubbed and torn raw despite the armour. Mars and I are only a little better off, since our skins are tougher than a Thoth's and our magical armour's only a relative improvement to our bodies, not absolute.

Mercury says something and Mars releases her hand. She signals I'm supposed to do so too, but I'm afraid of Mercury flying off again. It's only been about half a minute since we landed, as she's already been blown off her feet twice. She seems happy to work on one hand though, so I hang on tight. The chill of her magic easily overpowers the coldness here and I nearly let go lest I finally get frostbite.

It's taking more strain and time for her to do what she wants to do, and I'm about to call her off when Mars points me in the direction of a clearer area. When I squint, I can just make out a shimmery substance, comparatively solid against the cloudy base of the ground. Ice; Mercury's trying to form an ice shield. She finally gets a dome around us, and I see why it was difficult. Even now, she has to actively mend the cracks forming from the onslaught of the wind.

"Well." Mercury drops to her knees, exhausted and clearly in pain. "Remind to ignore any future calls of help from Tinia."

Mars stretches, body stiff from tensing against the force of the storm. It's a good idea.

"Easier if we just wipe Tinia off our maps and contacts," she says. Mercury makes a non-committal sound. Tinia is the largest planet in our Solar System; she's too intrigued to do anything drastic like that. "Tinia destroyed your precious computer," Mars adds impishly.

"Tinia found me a weakness I have to fix." Oh, Mercury. She's not happy until she finds perfection.

"All right, let's just get this over with and get out," I say, though I actually would very much like to let Mercury rest longer. Her body's taken a good bashing from the wind.

She looks up and around. "I lost my bearings," she says matter-of-factly.

"Well, that's what's Mars is for," I say in just the same way.

"Make another comment about me and an Ushas' animal again and I swear I'll burn you to hell and beyond," Mars threatens.

I don't know this 'hell' Netoans frequently refer to, so I just grin daringly. Mars huffs, watching me carefully until her eyes close and her body goes lax. She inhales deeply, tilting her head one way and the other. Netoans have a fantastic sense of direction; couple that with the way their body can feel the minute difference in pressure and how their ears can catch the rebounding echoes from their special hums like the blue-winged bat, and you will never find a lost Netoan. I doubt humming will help here, but she'll be able to tell us where we face.

"We landed somewhere over there." She points one way, then another to its left. "I think that way's where we were originally facing."

"Good enough," Mercury says cheerily. I stare suspiciously. The moment she shows any sign that she can't fake it any more I'm sending her back.

Mars' direction proves accurate and we soon come across a large stone structure that _could_ be a Tanse castle. That, or a mountain. It's hard to tell with Tanse architecture and the storm.

"Do we knock?" I peer through the frosty dome for something definably man-made. "Mars, send a flare."

"I'm not your errand girl." She does so anyway when Mercury opens up the top of the dome. The flame shoots high and massive, strong against the wind. Moments later, light opens up in front of us and a silhouette taps on the dome. Now, I am immensely glad for the frost because I'm sure my expression could be insulting to the Tanse. I know they're tall, but this one makes me believe giants exist.

Mercury waves her hand and the ice parts in front of us into a doorway. The dark silhouette gives way to a warm, womanly face and I immediately hope to Ushas I'd gotten over my initial surprise in time. There's no way I won't feel bad accidentally insulting this girl. Insanely tall, yes—I count over six feet, which isn't uncommon, but I blame the refractions of the ice for my earlier view—and a good, solid built to add, but if you don't immediately warm to that smiling face, that nice girl aura, there's something wrong with you.

Once we've entered into the warmth and are safely huddled next to a wall, Mercury dissolves the ice. The wind immediately roars in, but the girl only sticks her head out to stare at the disappearing puddle, before easily closing the stone door. She pats her short crop, auburn hair, marvelling at the bits of snow that fall out.

"Hello," she says amicably. "Welcome to my home."

"_You're_ Jupiter?" Mars blurts out, just ahead of me.

She looks confused. "Yes?"

"You're the ruler of the Tanse?" Mercury nudges Mars in warning.

The girl glances at the ring on her finger as if for confirmation. "Yes."

"What are you doing opening your own door?"

I snort. I cannot help it. I find it funny that Mars expects all ruling royalty to be served by attendants at all times; I'd almost forgotten that she is born and bred a princess. I think she would lose her mind if she knew Mercury works with the engineers in the palace and gets grease on her hands that she has to wash off herself.

Jupiter chuckles. "You must be Sailor Mars. Queen Serenity has spoken about you."

"What about?" Mars demands.

I clear my throat loudly and pull her aside. "You're Princess and she's ruler of a whole planet," I whisper. "She outranks you, so watch your manners."

"Sorry," she says. "I don't like it when people know things about me that I didn't tell."

"You were bad _before_ she mentioned Queen Serenity," I remind. "And you're a hypocrite."

"Hey, it's my job."

We return to find Jupiter and Mercury already making friends of each other. Jupiter is very generous when accepting Mars' apology and then offers to take us on a tour of the land. At first, I'm confused; it sounds long, considering the size of Tinia. Then I remember that Tinia is made up small masses of land at various levels of the atmosphere, linked to each other by bridges and ladders. This specific mass we're on is one of the largest, about the size of the Silver Millennium dome, which is big considering the area that makes up Jupiter's living quarters one level above ground is only as large as a very small reception hall.

Jupiter takes us underground first, where it is a maze of storage rooms, resident quarters, bathhouses and laneways large enough for a horse-drawn cart to traverse. Some laneways incline up to the ceiling, a ramp for said carts to the surface, where there were farms and factories and wildlands.

"I'd take you up there, but it looks like you have trouble with the wind," she says regrettably. I notice again how it is that the Tanse are able to live in this condition. It turns out Jupiter is one of the smallest Tanse; everyone else break seven feet easily. Most of them are built stockily, with either cropped hair or none, and their well-defined muscles give them the look of warrior gods able to crush stones with their bare hands. I suspect that's true when I see one of them carrying a boulder that looks like an ox on his shoulders and sauntering—_sauntering_—on his way. That's when I 'accidentally' stumble into Jupiter and discover her body's harder than stone.

Mercury pulls me to the back of the tour group. "If you want to know something, ask her or me," she says softly. "These people don't take offense easily, but you don't want to test them." That settles my inner debate about their strength. I'm Senshi and Jupiter's not, but if she can give me trouble, I'm not one to start one.

"Are you hungry?" Jupiter asks when we are back to the main foyer of the castle. I think of the rock ox. "I know you came to help with the station, but I won't feel like a good host if I put you to work straightaway."

It's meant to be a joke. The Tanse have a very strange monarchy. Jupiter, their ruler, their Chief as she's often referred—though some do use Princess or Queen—is also their civilian. Though she does have final say on important decisions like the law and her life is their cause to protect, she holds no more authority over them than they do over her. She can't make someone do something for her just as they can't take advantage of her lack of superiority. Funny that we four are Princesses in our own way, but only Mars is the true typical princess.

"Why not?" I say. I want to try their rock animals.

Tanse dinner is like a king's ball. _Everyone_ gathers into the same hall and dine together. Jupiter sits on the floor at the head of the room, and she introduces us to the other men and women who share her area of the floor. We are positively dwarfed in their presence.

"But there must be some advantages to having a body like yours," a man named Krea, responsible for research, says to Mercury sometime during dinner. Though Mercury's managed to clean up before the tour, and her cuts have closed up some, they are still very visible and they are a curiosity to the Tanse who don't get cuts.

"You can throw her into a fireplace and she doesn't burn," I tell him with a grin.

Mercury elbows me hard. Krea looks like he would very much like to see that.

Somehow, the conversation soon turns to me. "What about you?" Krea asks me. "What's special about Ushas' children?"

"What do you think?" I bat my lashes.

He swallows visibly. "You _are_ very alluring, I'll give you that."

"Careful," another man jokes. "You've got a wife."

He waves him off. "See, Thoths have their resistance. Earth's people have their magic. Netoans have…enhanced senses." He's careful not to say the full truth: that Netoans have all the best qualities of animals; Mars doesn't like the association. I love it. "Beauty can't be your people's trait, can it? What's useful about it?"

I think of the attractive leaders and the desperately poor—and some not so desperate—who gain favours through their relatively more desirable looks back in Ushas. It seems useful to me. "Some of us can use magic," I say.

"But that's Earth's people's trait."

I pick up a metal spoon and reform it into a fork for him. "I guess that's why they call us cousins."

"That's still not your specialty."

"Let's conduct an experiment, shall we?" Mercury suggests, giving me a sly look. I don't like it when she does that.

Krea nods. "I'd like that."

"So you agree to be a participant?"

"All right."

"How is your wife?" she asks.

"She is well, thank you."

"She's happy?"

"I don't see why she's not."

"Cocky bastard," the other man says. Ushas help me, I forgot his name.

"I assume that means theirs is a happy, contented and secure marriage?" Mercury asks him.

"They're very loyal to each other."

"Good." She grins.

"I need to use the restroom," I quickly say, standing up. She pulls me back down and whispers instructions in my ear. "No!"

"Oh, yes." Mars, who had been in another conversation, turns to us, interested. "I want to see that."

"Go away."

"Venus, this is a good experiment," Mercury says.

"What's going on?" Jupiter peers at us from the opposite row, two persons away from Krea.

"We're conducting an experiment," Mercury tells her.

"Is it dangerous?"

"Yes!" I nod as if my life depended on it, which it does. I don't know what Krea's wife is like.

Mercury waves dismissively. "Harmless." Liar! "You won't even know there was an experiment." Well, that could be true. It definitely does not have the potential to be explosive-inducing like her other experiments.

"All right," she says easily. Because she trusts us. Because we're Senshi and we don't do stupid things. Because we're supposed to be above it all. I glare at Mercury, hoping she can read my mind.

"So what's the experiment?" Krea asks.

Mercury plays with her food casually, the ultimate pretence of eating. "We'll let you know when it is done." Then she changes the topic to the Tanse myth about Senshi, and suddenly, everyone has something to add. We're supposed to be taller. We're supposed to look scarier. They expected older women. Does Queen Serenity really rule all Senshi? Is it just the Solar System Senshi? How immortal is immortal? Why do we look so breakable? The myth said we were cold warriors.

As Mercury answers them, with the occasional input from Mars, I can't help but glance at Krea often. The thought of what I have to do is both exciting and frightening. It's an interesting hypothesis, the abilities of Ushas' children. I compare myself to Krea. I think in Ushas, he can be considered handsome. He doesn't look old, maybe a common year thirty-year-old. He's not too big, which isn't usually preferable to Ushas' children. Nice, balanced facial features. Unlike other Tanse, he hasn't shaved his head, probably because he doesn't work on the surface, and has a healthy head of shiny auburn hair, a colour as desirable as golden. Speaking of shiny auburn hair, Jupiter actually has many desirable qualities. She's comparable physically to many of the pretty girls on Ushas, and I wonder if she has the same effect on her people as those girls have to other Ushas' children.

I return back to my contemplation and find Krea staring at me. He's noticed my scrutiny. I smile sweetly at him, and it takes a while for him to turn away. After dinner, we are all sending our plates to the buckets at the ends of each row when I reach for a jug he's about to take. I let my fingers run down the front of his wrist as I pull back, apologising shyly. He develops a coughing fit. Then it is time to leave. As everyone is standing up, I time myself to get up as he gets up. He leans forward to get his feet under him and I lean forward. Our faces come close, I can feel his breath on my lips and I know he can feel mine. I'm looking into his eyes when he suddenly drops down and his lips nearly touch mine. I pull back before the kiss even begins and he gasps softly. Standing up first, I brush my lips to his ear and whisper, "Find me later if you have wine."

When we're outside and alone with Jupiter, she gives me a wary look. "Are you sure the experiment is harmless?"

How very astute of her.

"Matters of the heart aren't to be toyed with," Mars adds. It seems she has changed her mind after seeing the effects of Mercury's instructions. "Mercury?"

"Maybe," Mercury says reluctantly. Then she sighs. "Fine, call off the experiment."

I start to head off. "I'll go find him."

"If you're going, you might as well wait until he finds you," Mercury says. "At least then, we have a more concrete result than an almost kiss that could subjectively be accidental."

Jupiter shakes her head. "Maybe it'd be interesting to know, but I don't think using Krea, or any one of my people, is a good idea."

"I have some lords about to turn traitor Venus can try on," Mars offers. "I'd prefer them loyal than dead."

Jupiter blinks. Even I feel a little stunned. It happens all the time when I help with some evil Netoan lord and see the knights hauling him off to prison, but hearing Mars admit that she signs for their deaths, maybe even does the deed herself, is quite a blow to the head. It shouldn't be shocking; Mars has been in wars, she has surely killed her enemies. Yes, it's logical. It's for the better good, I think. She doesn't kill without reason.

"Well, you can do that then," Jupiter says unhappily. I think the fact we are Senshi is finally sinking in.

"Oh, too late." Mars points, and seconds later, Krea appears around the corner, breathing heavily, a bottle in his hands.

"Chief!" He tries to hide the bottle, but it's no use. Wine is a rarity in Tinia. It is strictly rationed and stealing any is a crime punishable by imprisonment. Jupiter holds her hand up for the bottle, but still, he looks like he wants—no, needs—to give it to me instead.

Jupiter turns to me worriedly. "Sailor Venus, can you do something?"

I go over to him, and he bends down as if his life depended on a kiss. I'm surprised at the strength I need to use to keep him at bay; the Tanse _are_ strong. He gazes at me with damp eyes, a quiver in his lips, his hands shaking so hard I fear the bottle will shatter. I want to help him by taking the bottle, but I think that's the scenario Jupiter is hoping to avoid. It's the scenario he is fighting against, for his loyalty to her.

"It's all right, Krea," I say soothingly. "It's over. The experiment is over."

"Experiment?" He looks so lost it is truly sad.

"Remember." I prod gently. "We were experimenting on the specialty of Ushas' children. The effects of their beauty."

He nods slowly, his gaze finally broken to glance at Mercury. A reminder. Recognition returns to his eyes, his hands stop their shaking. "Hypnosis?"

Not quite, I think. He still looks at me as if he wants me, but at least he's in control. He won't blindly do as I say to get in my favour. He still remembers he has a wife. It's a successful experiment, a potent ability. But at what cost? He won't be the same. It brings a chill to my heart knowing he can't stop thinking about me now.

"Forgive me," Krea pleads to Jupiter, holding the bottle out to her. He doesn't want to acknowledge me.

"It's fine, Krea," she says. "We all agreed to the experiment."

He is holding himself up well. If I were in his position, I probably would have fallen to my knees, sobbing, begging. I've seen some spouses being publicly submitted to such humiliation by their lords or ladies when they were caught in the spell of a more attractive lover.

Krea bids us goodbye with impressive composure, though he is clearly keeping me at a larger distance than the other two. I apologise, and he accepts sincerely, but he cannot look at me. Jupiter lets him return the bottle.

"Well," she says tiredly. "Let's finish the tour upstairs then I'll bring you to the station."

"Jupiter, I am sorry." I want her to know I realise my mistake. This girl, about the same common age as Mercury, this young, strong and warm girl. I don't want her disillusioned by this one unfortunate mistake. Somehow, I just need her on my side.

She smiles softly. "Maybe next time we don't keep secrets, yeah?"

It's a new request. Senshi are in a whole higher class of their own. Every myth from every world says so. Every culture believes it that way. Every lesson I've gone to in Ushas have taught me that Senshi are goddesses. They should revere and fear us, praise us and envy us. But it's not true. And only a handful of people understand that. The guards of the Silver Millennium. Netoan court members who've watched Mars grow from a baby. Queen Serenity. Luna and Artemis. They understand that we are just people.

And the Tanse understand too. It's people like them I cannot afford to lose.

"No secrets," I promise her. And her warmth returns in full.

Jupiter takes us first to her room. Small for a ruler, but still as large as a Tanse family home in the underground. Which is to say, she doesn't get more space even if she's started a family. It's not lavish: a simple desk, some bookshelves, a bed, bathtub. Official furniture for ruler-like tasks have their own rooms. But I'm intrigued mostly by the amount of plants she keeps. Potted plants, from single flowers to shrubs, single or multi-coloured, long-leafed or short. It isn't just the fact she has them that surprises me, but how she keeps them alive. I see Ushas' plants among them; I know this planet does not have the right environment for their survival.

Jupiter touches a flower by her bedside that reminds me of a rose. A light red one. It is the same design as her ring. "Queen Serenity gave me this one on my coronation day," she says. I don't know when that was, but I guess that could've been the day she could begin to hold a conversation. "At first, I couldn't keep it alive. But she would always come over to revive it for me. Then she gave me that." She points to a small green crystal hanging from her ceiling that illuminates the room in a soft, yellow glow.

"I remember that," Mercury says, surprised. "It's Thoth. Queen Serenity asked for one from me years ago."

"Oh, then I owe you a lot!" Jupiter goes over to the crystal, stands on the tips of her toes, and snatches it off its hanging sheath. She lets Mercury inspect it. "It's because of this that that rose can survive. These other plants too."

Mercury holds the crystal up to the light. "It never used to glow. None of my other stash glows."

"Stone magic?" I suggest.

"Can Queen Serenity do that?" Mars asks. "Isn't that a magician thing?"

"All stones can be imbued with magic," Mercury explains. "For magicians, only stone magic users can do so. For Senshi and Keepers, we can do it if we find stones compatible with our powers. For example, I can't do anything with this crystal. Venue can, however, transfer some power inside. She can make it a source of light or a stored attack."

That is news to me, and _I'm_ the magician. "So if we find stones compatible with Mars' power, they can be used to warm Ushas' houses during nightfall?"

Mars claps me on the back. "Way to think noble, Venus," she compliments. I don't fight back. It is probably the first time I ever suggest something helpful to non-Moon-dwellers. Mercury's words that day after we rescued the Coronis twins ring front in my ears. Even now, one common year later, I cannot recall a definable moment where I did something helpful of my own accord. Mercury is the one who offers; Mars is the one who asks. I just tag along.

Our final destination is back on ground level, in a back room where I see the skeleton of the teleportation gate. It is different from the one in the Silver Millennium; it's larger, thicker, you don't need a magnifying glass to see the components that drive the machine, and the shield panelling that waits by the wall is made of metal. Then again, every gate is different as Mercury adjusts the components based on the planet's technological abilities and the materials they possess.

"You're not sure what is wrong?" Mercury confirms with Jupiter. We had been called over because they couldn't get the gate working.

Jupiter scratches her head sheepishly. "I wasn't a part of the building process, but that's what the engineers say."

"Well." Mercury huffs. "This would be a lot easier if I still had my computer."

I stay back as Mercury and Jupiter poke at the components. Mars comes to stand beside me. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah."

"You're lying."

"I'm thinking about what I did to Krea."

She crosses her arms. "No one really knew what to expect."

"I can't use that excuse, Mars."

She misunderstands. "You know how Mercury is—"

"That's the problem," I say. "I know how Mercury thinks. I know how Ushas' children work. The moment I heard Mercury's hypothesis and how she wants to test it, I knew it would be bad. But I didn't say anything."

She doesn't reply immediately. "So next time, speak up."

I scoff. "Just like that."

"Hey, look who you're talking to." She raises her eyebrow with a haughty glare. "It's more than what you usually get from me."

I laugh. She's right. Princess Mars doesn't console. Anything short of a threat to hell is gentle for her.

She pats my shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll work out where you stand soon."

Where I stand… Greatness, or insanity. It's a fine line in between those two. I'm supposed to stop thinking about it, but I can't. If there's one flaw about my father, it's that he shouldn't have said that.

"There," Mercury proclaims with a flourish of her hands toward the gate.

"That's all?" Jupiter looks doubtful.

Mars leans over to me. "You think we'll ever understand what she's done?"

"If you find out, there's no need to tell me."

We help with the shielding, a series of metal sheets that one has to bend around the gate's skeleton and the other uses a torch to bind. Mars doesn't bother with a torch and nearly burns the sheet through. It's a funny scene when Jupiter turns into her ruler self and lectures on the difficulty of mining ores in Tinia. Fortunately, I am able to repair the metal sheet.

Mercury briefs Jupiter on the controls, then lets her open the gate. The procedure is similar to that of the Silver Millennium gate, but instead of ripples, this one is smoky. Jupiter is just as suspicious as I am that the machine has malfunctioned.

"It is fine," Mercury says, exasperated. You don't question her designs. "Look." She disappears into the portal.

"She doesn't come back within five seconds, I'm shutting down the gate," Mars states solemnly.

I concur.

Mercury pops back in, a frantic look on her face. "Venus! Mars! You have to come!" She runs back in without waiting for our response. I exchange a look with Mars, then, taking a deep breath, I jump in. The sudden change in scenery is a little dizzying. It takes me a moment to clear my vision. Behind me, I hear two sets of footsteps stepping through, and I'm about to turn back to congratulate Jupiter on her plunge to adventure, when I see the source of Mercury's excitement.

Little Serenity standing on her own two feet. Without support. Taking little steps. Her hands outstretched, her face beaming. Before I realise it, I'm already next to Mercury, behind Queen Serenity. Even Mars is with us, her gaze firmly fixed on the little toddler as she wobbly makes her way toward us.

Then little Serenity falters, swaying as she stands, looking at Jupiter who is standing at the base of the station only three yards away. She giggles, squealing as she claps her hands and holds them out to Jupiter. Jupiter hesitates, unsure. But instead of looking to us for help, her eyes remain glued to little Serenity. She takes one uncertain step. Then another. And suddenly little Serenity is so high up in the air my hands shoot out reflexively.

"Higher," little Serenity shouts. "Higher!"

So enamoured is Jupiter that her hands rise automatically, an inch for every adorable command. But her hold is solid, her care obvious. And Queen Serenity appears fine with it.

"Now there's a little girl more potent than you, Venus," Mars whispers to me.

I think that is perfectly a good thing.


	6. Strength

_**Chapter Six: Strength**_

Outside, it is a massacre. I hear pitchforks against swords, shovels against stone walls, axes against the wooden gate, arrows plunging into bodies. People cry when their flesh is torn, when they tear flesh. I hear the knights arguing amongst themselves, two factions in the battle against furious villagers: one loyal to the lord of this castle, the other loyal to Neto. Such a difference do exist, and it is because of it that I have remorse mingling with the fury in my blood.

Lord Heraes is a disgusting and sick ruler. He rules over a small territory in the west, secluded in the protection of inactive volcanoes. Ayermu trees grow in very small clumps here, too small for the King's concern, adequate for the survival of the district. That is why no one knew until now that this monster exists. Heraes creates no trouble for the King, and there is nothing the King wants from him. Theirs is a cooperation by simple ignorance. Until his activities got too much for the district residents and one decided to steal a horse from the knights' barracks and made the life-threatening, two-week journey to the nearest village, where Mars' best spies, Phobos and Deimos, were patrolling. The man died for his bravery, and here we are.

It was a small recon job, to verify the dead man's claims. Because it was just too horrifying that we cannot believe it to be true. I had been hunting with Mars when Phobos came calling, we met with Deimos at the village, behind Heraes' castle, and saw the claims come true. A least a dozen bodies, boys and girls not even past the common age of ten, battered and bloodied, stripped bare, and dead. So very dead with their blue and bloated skin over emaciated bodies, glassy, bloodshot eyes forever frozen in pain and horror. Three knights were burying the children. One doing so quietly, the other two laughing as they kicked the corpses into the hole. Mars killed the latter two. And we got the truth from the last man.

Sick bastard. I don't know why, but I wanted to be the one to kill him. Heraes would be my first kill of a person, and I don't care. So here I am, at the door to his private rooms, a trail of broken, but alive, bodies behind me. I am adamant that Heraes be my first kill. Besides, some of his knights that blocked my way were only working under orders, or reacted defensively to a rampaging Senshi ruthlessly knocking down their comrades. There is a small regret that I may have left a few innocent ones forever paralysed. Then again, how innocent is someone who stands by while another plays out his twisted desires.

A stray arrow flies through the window at the hallway I'm in and bounces harmlessly off my shoulder. The battle is at its peak now, kept up this long by the addition of the Coronis twins. The residents had been fighting a wall for days now, futile, of course, with their meagre weapons. The twins will keep them alive for now, until Mars finishes her rites of the dead and properly buries the children. Or until I kill Heraes. Whichever's first. I hope it's mine.

I open the door, and am hit with the foul smell of blood, excrement and rust in the room to my right. I know immediately that's the room where he conducts his sick experiments. I continue ahead, pass the bathroom, the common room, and stop at the bedroom. Inside, someone grunts and screams, pleasure in his tone despite the fighting outside.

Sick bastard. I shove open the door, and have to shoot one leg off the bedpost before he notices me. Heraes jumps off his prey, to his feet, naked and sweaty. He grabs a sword and tries to cover himself. It's difficult with one hand and he soon gives up, a sardonic grin on his sick, handsome face.

"A Senshi," he says, surprised. He hasn't heard of me, being this secluded. Then he angles his body, facing me front-on, his legs spread. Obviously, he thinks highly of himself. He is quite young, well-built and used to getting what he wants. If I were the women he charms before he takes them, I would probably be blushing now. Instead, I consider bringing him to Ushas as an amusing punishment.

The look in my eyes causes him to falter. I am immune to him, but he is not immune to me. His body is in conflict. I see parts that want me and parts that are wary of me. He points the sword at me. "What do you want?" he stammers, licking his lips.

My gaze falls to the woman tied up on his bed. Done with the children, next the women. With his activities out in the open, the only woman he has available is a servant of his castle. He's only been deprived a few days, and she's already dead inside.

It feels wrong to kill him quickly. I want him to suffer.

"Drop your sword," I say. His hands shake but don't immediately comply. I take a step forward, tilt my head one way. "Drop your sword," I repeat softly, and the blade clangs on the floor. "On your knees." He is all too willing to obey; there is fear in him, but also in his demented mind, he finds pleasure. When I am at arm's length, he tries to touch me.

"No." Just one word, and he's reduced to a crying mass at my feet. I let him stay that way for a while, begging, wailing. Suffering. He wants me, but he knows he can't unless I let him. He wants to force himself on me, but he knows it won't get him what he wants. What that is, I don't know. It is an ability I don't relish figuring out. He is forever at my mercy, and suddenly, the thought that I am acting very much like he does with his victims envelops my mind.

I step back, hold up two fingers to my lips, kissing the index and middle fingers for good luck. Habit. I point at his head. It will be quick and painless, a death he does not deserve.

It is when I realise that the noise outside has died down that I realise I cannot do it. Angry or not, I don't know if I can yet bring myself to kill a man. It is the same as hunting. If it is not game for food or self-defence, I cannot harm an animal. I cannot shoot this man who quivers at my feet, weaponless.

"To the window," I finally say, a weakness in my voice I don't bother to hide. He won't notice, anyway. As he slowly, pitifully, crawls over, I peel away the wooden planks that board his windows. As I thought, the fight is over. Residents treat their wounded while the knights surrender on their knees. Mars is on the roof of the guard post, watching me, an exquisite bow in her hands. For all her powers, Mars doesn't fight without it. You cannot define Mars without that bow.

Heraes steps up beside me, and it takes a while before the crowd notices. They begin to scream for his death, for vengeance, mourn for the deaths of their children.

Mars nocks an arrow and lets it fly into his black heart.

* * *

When I return to the Silver Millennium, I am greeted with a sight that once makes me feel joyful, but now gives me mixed feelings. Little Serenity isn't so little anymore. At least five common years she stays a toddler, and in just one common year after that she shoots up to a child the age of five or six. An age that still did not save children from Heraes. I want to cry, because now I cannot even look at the beautiful scene of Jupiter playing with little Serenity without suspicion in my heart.

I ignore their calls as I run to my room, lock the door. I have my own room now, but Mercury's is right beside mine and she hears the slam of my door. She knows what has happened, seen it on her computer. She wants to come in but I won't let her. I sit against the door, a second barrier to the outside world. I feel empty as I lie there, thinking, not thinking.

I really don't know what I'm doing, or how long time has passed when Jupiter vaults through my open window. The Moon is practically heaven for her. Little Serenity and the chance to talk freely with Queen Serenity aside, she's almost Senshi here. She can jump high, move fast, break rocks with her little finger with the same ease I can. Tanse bodies are made to survive Tinia conditions; Tanse bodies dominate the conditions on other planets. She shakes her hair as she lands, fixing the loose strands behind her ears. She has begun to grow them since her frequent visits to the Silver Millennium. Apparently, little Serenity likes playing with the auburn things.

"The Princess will miss you," I say to her.

"She's the one who asked me to go." Jupiter sits down next to me. "What's wrong?"

I shrug. "Ask Mars or Mercury."

"I did," she says, "but none of what they've told me explains the look you gave me." I stiffen, I didn't think she had seen it. I wish she hadn't. "If you don't want me near the Princess again, I'll leave."

I take too long to answer. "No, it's not that!" I pull her back down. "The…the things I saw today. If you had seen…"

"I have." Jupiter fixes her gaze on me. Sad. "There was a small clan, on an island not far from mine. I…" She trails off, and I can see that the memory haunts her. She cannot finish her sentence and I don't prod. "You can't let it take over you, Venus. The only thing you can do is become stronger so it doesn't happen again."

I sigh, leaning my head back against the door. "But how strong is strong?" I whisper. I feel like it can never be enough.

"For you to be strong enough to survive anything," she says softly. "Then you will always have the strength to protect everything you hold dear."

* * *

Today is the day Queen Serenity officially declares her heir. It's a small event, really, because who else but her only daughter would take the throne. Held in the atrium just before the throne room, if not for the large fountain built in the middle of the room, it could have accommodated maybe thirty mingling people. Compared to Ushas' reception halls, or even Netoan's, it is very small. Queen Serenity doesn't host gatherings. She is a myth to most, just like Senshi. Only when a Senshi is called in a public situation, such as mine, do they remember their lessons and summon the great goddess of the Moon. It's the reason why Netoans surprised me when I first saw them. A Senshi had not been called to Ushas in so long, if ever, that our Kings forget their contact with Queen Serenity, and our knowledge of the other worlds become too old. If not for our astronomers, we wouldn't even have known about Thoth.

I stand next to Gelos, near the head of the atrium as the guards make a line down the two sides of the area. I don't have to, I'm not military. But I've been training hard, learning from the old captain. Well, not too old, I think, as I glance at him. Over a hundred and twenty common years old, but with a face quarter that age. We're like siblings, in looks and personality; the way we banter with each other, the way we take our duties seriously. Gelos, his position as captain of the guards. Me, my ability as Senshi, my devotion to the Queen and my desire to see little Serenity alive and well even when I'm gone.

Mercury slips out the throne room and comes to me. Just before the door closes, I hear little Serenity's squeals of delight as her mother plays with her, snuggles her, showers her with tenderness and declarations of love. I see a glimpse of their togetherness, mother and daughter bonded forever, forehead to forehead, hands on cheeks. I think it's a shame Queen Serenity's Soldiers can't attend. But I suppose, otherwise, the ceremony will have to be cancelled if Sailor Uranus had not volunteered in Queen Serenity's stead to visit the newest Senshi, the seventh to awaken in our Solar System.

"What's wrong?" I ask Mercury distractedly.

She has a slight frown on her face, cupping her chin as she does when she's thinking. "There is a gift out there," she says, gesturing to the back of the atrium. There is a large mirror there, with no one to claim ownership of it. "It's not from the local Moon-dwellers. I've checked. But it _is_ made using materials and techniques from here."

I am immediately suspicious. I want to throw that beautiful thing into a fire pit before Queen Serenity lays eyes on it. Mars joins us, and by the expression on her face, I know she agrees with me.

"So, all three of us are in agreement?" Mercury confirms. Somehow, at some time I can't place, the three of us have formed a sort of team, an unspoken camaraderie, a shared duty.

It is no question that we all want that mirror gone.

We find Jupiter hovering by the mirror, inspecting it. She is formally dressed for the occasion, a flowing light green dress that cascades down to her feet to a small train behind her. It makes her look taller than she is. She fingers her ring nervously when we approach.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Is that a gift for the Queen?"

"It appears so."

She grows more agitated. "It's none of my business, but…"

I take her face between my palms, force her to look at me. There is wariness in her eyes, concern for the rest of us. "What's wrong?" I repeat firmly.

"I have a bad feeling about that thing," she says with a glance to the offensive mirror. "You have to get rid of it now."

Good instinct. Senshi instinct. I don't say more as Mercury assures her that is exactly what we plan to do. But I should've known it wouldn't be as easy as that. The bloody thing wouldn't bulge! Even with Jupiter's help, after a dreadful amount of flinching on her part, it takes all four of us to make the glass tremble at our touch.

"We have to destroy it here," Mercury says, speaking my mind.

I go to address the crowd, a handful of important Moon-dwellers in charge of distinct roles that keep the Moon running. Indeed, this ceremony is small and relatively private. The only non-resident of the Moon in attendance is Mars and Jupiter, and Jupiter has the privilege only because she has had a good relationship with Queen Serenity since young, whereas the other Kings only called when a Senshi awakens in their land.

"Everyone, I need your attention!" Crude, I know, but I'm not exactly known for my courtesy. "I'm sorry to say that the ceremony has been postponed. The Queen sends her apologies and explanations will be offered shortly, but I must insist that everyone leaves now. Gelos, please have your guards escort our guests safely home."

A murmur washes over the small crowd, some in dissent, some curious. But no one opposes me and soon, their shuffles are but a drone in my ears as their backs fade down the courtyard. But they are moving too slowly for my taste, and for the very loud explosion I'm sure will come.

The cats peer through the throne door. "What's going on, Venus?" Luna asks me. "Why did you send them away?"

"You two stand back," I say. "Stay with Queen Serenity and the Princess. Jupiter, go with them. Mars—"

She is already ahead of me. "Phobos and Deimos are in position. They're watching."

I have never been so glad that we saved the twins. They are practically prodigies in the art of spying and guarding. Even Mercury has commented on their ability to absorb knowledge indiscriminately. The only issue is getting them to improvise on that knowledge. Give them the foundation to build a rocket, they cannot. They can if taught, but have never been able to improve on what they know.

"Give it all we got?" Mars asks Mercury, the tips of her fingers already spewing flames.

"Leave nothing to chance," I say, as I touch my two fingers to my lips and point.

A shadow passes in the reflection of the mirror. An unknown voice stops us. "Ah, but I would prefer if you didn't do that."

I whirl around, stance at the ready. I should've attacked immediately. The woman reeks of pure evil and hatred. The yellows eyes, slit like a cat's, hungry. Full red lips, fixed in a mocking sneer. Dark tresses of hair flow from her head to the floor, snaking around for something foolish enough to be ensnared.

"It is, after all," the woman continues, a purr in her voice, "a celebration."

"Who are you?" I demand.

She smirks. "I am a Moon-dweller, of course. From deep under the depths of the Moon. I have to say, I am a little irked I wasn't invited to this event so celebrated by all Moon-dwellers."

My eye twitches. I don't trust her. I move to attack but the door to the throne room opens. Queen Serenity walks out, a question on her lips before it is caught by the woman before her.

"Queen Serenity." It is like a hiss straight from the lips of evil, from the demons of Netoan's mythical hell. I connect with Mars and Mercury, and we teleport to Queen Serenity, between her and the demonic eyes of the black-haired woman. They stray to little Serenity in the Queen's arms. "So this is supposed to be the heir?"

Queen Serenity hands her over to Jupiter, who stays behind protectively but watches us with great caution. "What is it that you seek?" Queen Serenity asks coolly. "If it is a home and peace that you want, I happily offer you a place with my people as I have so many others. However, I will not permit this darkness you carry to entrap this land."

"Entrap?" The woman laughs. It is a sound that grinds deep into my very core. "No. Claim. I am here to claim what is mine."

"And what is that?"

"The throne."

I ready my attack. "You have no right to that claim."

"Oh, on the contrary," she says, unfazed, "I have every right. For every light, there is darkness." She gestures to the area around her, and her hair snakes further, her shadow growing to engulf. "For a Queen of Light, there is a Queen of Darkness. Accept that your time is up, Queen Serenity of the Light. It is my turn to reign!"

The shadow grows, taking everything into its darkness. The scent of evil surrounds us; it drives me to my knees, weak. Mercury crumbles beside me, groaning in pain. Mars tries to attack, but she can get nothing but a spark. Behind me, I hear the heartbreaking cries of little Serenity. I want to stand. I have to protect her! I'm not strong enough!

Then the darkness gives way to light. The chill of evil driven away by pure warmth. Queen Serenity utters a soft prayer as she holds out her staff, a magical sheath for her Heavenly Crystal, the Silver Crystal. The Crystal glows a blinding white light, yet I can see clearly. My breath returns as I watch in awe as the shadow is driven away. The woman screams an inhuman scream of fury.

"I seal you away, dark one," Queen Serenity exclaims. "I banish you to the darkness from where you came. No longer will you torment me and my people. Your evil ways be gone, forever!"

Her shrieks are deafening as her skin melts away. A foul black mist sweeps from the bottom of her dress, coalescing into a swirling pool of blackness that takes the woman into the mirror. She reforms behind the glass, a glare of pure hatred as her defeat is evident.

"A parting gift for the heir," she hisses, as her reflection fades away with the onslaught of the light. She extends her hand. "That the world as you know it will fall before the little Princess can inherit it."

A final curse. Shadows spray out from the mirror in her last desperation. I throw my hands over my head, but I don't cower. I am the guardian of the Moon, and my body will be its shield. Something latches itself to my right hand, but I don't shake it off until it is over. No matter how much it burns. I have to keep standing to be the shield.

"Queen Serenity!" I hear the cats shout. I raise my eyes, drop my hands. Mercury collapses to the floor, writhing at a pain in her neck.

"Mercury," I gasp. My pain is just as agonising. I tear off the glove from my right hand, and see the shadow dancing on a spot at the back of my hand, black veins creeping up my arm like the plague. "Queen Serenity!" I cry, for once terrified.

"Your magic! Use your Sailor Crystal to fight back the curse!" Her Crystal glows as she works on a smaller shadow at her hip and the cats. A red glow builds up from my right. Mars is on the floor, slamming her fist into the stone in silent screams, the other hand pressing into her abdomen. I follow her example and call for my Crystal magic. It's almost impossible to concentrate with the pain at the forefront of everything. I'm not as silent as Mars when I scream, praying to Ushas for strength.

When I open my eyes, it takes a while to realise that the pain is just a memory now. Next to me, Mercury is just coming to, her chest heaving even though she doesn't breathe. The black web on her neck has shrivelled down to a tiny dot. I look at my hand. The shadow is there, small and secured, but existing nonetheless. It will forever be a constant reminder of its curse by the slight throbbing in my hand.

"Venus!" Mars shouts, and I quickly stand up at the panic in her voice. It can't be little Serenity, for she is now in her mother's arms, crying, but not in any visible pain. No black shadows. "It's Jupiter!" Mars gets my attention again, and with a pained cry, I rush over to Jupiter's prone form. Her dress dips low at the back, and I can see a frighteningly huge shadow on her skin. It threatens to consume her.

"Queen Serenity, what can we do?" I turn to her desperately, but she can barely sit straight, let alone hold her daughter. She moves to put little Serenity down, but cannot when the little girl clings to her. When she tries to move, she nearly falls flat on her face. The twins come down and have to support her lest she faints over little Serenity.

"You can…" It's a struggle for her to even speak, her eyes fluttering, unable to stay open. "You can connect… Senshi… Jupiter."

"I don't understand."

"Senshi," she says again. "Guide her."

It's clear she cannot continue. "Mercury, what is she saying?"

Mercury crawls over, wincing when her head tilts one way and she has to reflexively hold her neck. "She's saying Jupiter is a Senshi," she says hoarsely.

"What?" The simple statement is difficult to believe; there has not been any sound indication of this.

"Doesn't matter, Venus," Mars snaps. "It's a good thing at this time. Mercury, what do we have to do?"

"Because her life is in danger, she will awaken. But not soon enough, so we have to help her." She closes her eyes, taking one of Jupiter's hands. "Connect with her. Join our powers like we do when we teleport."

I immediately reach for the other hand and Mars touches the crown of her head. I feel our power merging together, yet still distinct. In my mind's eye, individual swirls of red, blue and golden orange fly together in a white space, entwining, circling. Larger when they touch. They move with one focus, to that one green orb in the distance. They hurry, seeing the shadow fighting for control with the green orb. It becomes a battle of lights, colours against blackness. The green hangs back, unsure, tired. It's too small to fight anymore.

"Jupiter," I whisper.

The golden orange dances around the green, spinning until they are just two colours in a whirlwind. The red and blue joins them and the colours brighten, the swirling orbs grow. The shadow is beaten, shrunken. It refuses to disappear. But the green is strong now. It is in control.

I open my eyes, a shuddering gasp escaping my lips from the exertion. Mercury sways on her knees, but manages to keep upright. Mars bursts into an uncharacteristic laugh.

"What's so funny?" Jupiter groans up at us. Her head is lying on Mars' lap and it doesn't look as if she wants to get up. Her back is clear again. Mostly. It doesn't matter for now.

"You," Mars says gently. "You tried to protect Serenity, you fool."

Jupiter looks confused. "Are you making it a bad thing?"

"It is when you have no powers," I say.

Jupiter sighs, exhaustion taking over. "I'll show _you_ power."

I think she already has.


End file.
